Chronology-Egypt

Jan. 16: An Egyptian court sentenced Hammam el-Kammuni, the primary defendant behind a shooting spree that killed six Coptic Christians in 2010, to death. It is speculated that the sentence was most likely influenced by a January 1 church bombing and pressure from Coptic Christians to administer justice in sectarian-related cases. [Al-Jazeera, 1/17]

Jan. 17: An Egyptian man named 'Abdo 'Abdel Mon'am set himself on fire in front of Egypt's Parliament. The act of self-immolation was one of five other recent incidents (four in Algeria and one in Mauritania) believed to have stemmed from the self-immolation of a Tunisian man on December 17 that led to a popular uprising in that country. Seeking political change, some Egyptians called for protests against "torture, poverty, corruption, and unemployment." [NYT, 1/17]

Jan. 23: Interior Minister Habib el-Adly charged extremist group the Army of Islam with carrying out a New Year's Day church bombing that killed over 20 people. The Army of Islam was a militant group based in the Gaza Strip with links to al-Qa'ida. Investigators arrested several Egyptian men connected to the attack. The men provided details about how they were recruited by the Gaza group. A spokesman for Hamas denied the charge linking the Gaza-based group with the attack. [NYT, 1/23]

Jan. 25: On the national holiday Police Day, Egyptians gathered in Cairo to protest. Inspired by political events in Tunisia, protestors sought reform in a "Day of Revolution." The demonstrators protested against "rampant corruption, injustice, and high unemployment." More than 90,000 people signed up for the protest on the social networking website Facebook, indicating a rise in young activists in the region. [NYT, 1/25]

Three people died during protests that occurred throughout Egypt. Two civilians died in the eastern city of Suez. One person with existing respiratory problems died after inhaling tear gas, and the other died after being hit with a rock during a protest. One police officer was killed in Cairo after he was hit in the head with a rock in Tahrir Square. [Al-Jazeera, 1/26]

Jan. 26: Following fresh waves of protests, the Egyptian government intensified its efforts to crush riots by issuing a ban on all public gatherings. Protestors filled the streets and hundreds of people were detained. Riot police officers coupled with plain-clothes security forces used batons, bamboo staves, tear gas, and rubber-coated bullets to scatter protestors. [NYT, 1/26]

Jan. 27: Demanding the release of relatives who were detained in protests on January 25, Egyptian protestors used petrol bombs to torch a police post. The police inside fled the post before it was lit on fire. Opposition leader Muhammad ElBaradei also returned to Cairo in order to join and support protestors. [BBC, Al-Jazeera, 1/27]

Jan. 28: Tens of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets of Cairo following Friday midday prayers, where protestors demanded an end to President Husni Mubarak's rule. Friday's protests were the first which the Muslim Brotherhood had publicly spoken about and called for. Late on January 27, internet access was shut down throughout Egypt and the government issued a curfew for January 28 from 6pm to 7am [Al-Jazeera, 1/28]

Jan. 29: Egypt's cabinet formally submitted its resignation, one day after President Mubarak asked the government to resign following country-wide protests. The cabinet's resignation paved the way for a new government to be formed. Receiving pressure and criticism from his people, Mubarak promised to enact social, economic, and political reforms. US President Barack Obama also urged President Mubarak to take concrete steps toward political reform and refrain from using violence against the thousands of protestors. [Al-Jazeera, 1/29]

Jan. 30: Information Minister Anas al-Fikki ordered the suspension of Al-Jazeera's license to broadcast in Egypt. A spokesperson for Al-Jazeera vowed that the company would continue its coverage of events unfolding in Egypt. [Al-Jazeera, 1/30]

Jan. 31: President Mubarak swore in a new cabinet in an effort to appease protestors. Despite the appointments and pledges to institute political and economic reforms, thousands of people continued to demonstrate. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed concern over the uprisings in Egypt and stressed the importance of preserving Egypt's stability. Israel was primarily concerned that the Muslim Brotherhood could take control of Egypt and move the country away from its alignment with the West, as well as cancel the peace agreements between Egypt and Israel. [Al-Jazeera, 1/31]

Feb. 1: Protestors amassed in Egypt's Tahrir Square in a "March of Millions" as Egypt's last working internet service provider, the Noor Group, was disconnected, plunging the country into a total internet blackout. Other internet providers were shut down on January 27 in an effort to prevent protestors from organizing demonstrations. On January 31, Google announced it had cooperated with microblogging service Twitter to create a way to post messages by making telephone calls. [Al-Jazeera, 2/1, 2/2]

US Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey spoke to Muhammad ElBaradei in an effort to show support for an orderly transition in Egypt. The US State Department also sent Frank Wisner, a former ambassador to Egypt, to Cairo to assess the situation. [Al- Jazeera, 2/1]

Feb. 2: Internet access was partially restored in Cairo after the government cut service on January 27 in attempts to prevent the protestors from organizing. [Al-Jazeera, 2/2]

Foreign and domestic journalists were targeted and attacked by government workers and pro-Mubarak supporters in an apparent effort to stop the spread of events and images in Cairo. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and his crew were attacked on February 1. [Al-Jazeera, 2/3]

Feb. 3: Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq apologized for the violence in Tahrir Square between pro-democracy protestors and loyalists of Mubarak and asked for the violence to stop. The clashes left seven dead and over 800 wounded. President Mubarak also said that he wished to resign, but feared mass chaos in Egypt if he did. [Al-Jazeera, 2/3, 2/4]

Egypt's attorney general issued a travel ban on several former ministers and a prominent members of the ruling party and froze their bank accounts. Among those banned were ex-Interior Minister el- 'Adly, former Housing Minister Ahmad el- Maghrabi, former Tourism Minister Zuhayr Garana, and Ahmad 'Izz, a member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) who resigned from the party after protests against President Mubarak began. It was stated that the ban would remain in effect until national security was restored and investigations were completed. [Al-Jazeera, 2/3]

Feb. 4: Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square to once again call for Mubarak's resignation. The protest was termed, "The Day of Departure." [Al- Jazeera, 2/4]

Feb. 5: Unknown attackers blew up a gas pipeline that ran through Egypt's north Sinai area and supplied gas to Jordan and Israel. There were no reports of casualties or suspects. [Al-Jazeera, 2/5]

Feb. 6: Egyptian Vice President 'Umar Suleyman hosted meetings with six opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, in an attempt to end the uprisings. After the meetings, Sulayman's office released a statement which declared that the government offered to form a committee to examine proposed constitutional amendments, pursue allegedly corrupt government officials, "liberalize" media and communications, and lift the state of emergency in the country when the security situation was deemed to be appropriate. [Al-Jazeera, 2/7]

Feb. 7: At the first full cabinet meeting since protests began, the government announced that it would raise all public sector salaries and pensions by 15%. Reports stated that increasing pensions would cost the government 6.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($940 million), while a five billion pound ($840 million) fund was also created to compensate those affected by looting or vandalism during the protests. [Al-Jazeera, 2/7]

Feb. 8: Mass demonstrations continued with optimism following the release of Google executive and cyber activist Wa'el Ghonim on February 7. Ghonim was responsible for setting up the Facebook page that mobilized the start of the protests. He was arrested by government authorities on January 28. The Egyptian government also freed 34 political prisoners as part of reforms pledged by the government. Human rights groups estimated that there were thousands of people detained in Egypt for their political activities. [Al- Jazeera, 2/8, 2/9]

Feb. 9: Egyptian labor unions went on a nationwide strike, adding momentum to the pro-democracy movement in Cairo. The workers called for better salaries and an end to pay disparities. Protests continued in Tahrir Square and also moved to the front of the parliament building. [Al-Jazeera, 2/10]

Feb. 10: Egyptian labor unions continued to hold strikes for a second day. Doctors and lawyers joined the strikes as well, increasing pressure on the government for economic, as well as social, reform. [Al-Jazeera, 2/10]

Feb. 10: Despite expectations to the contrary, President Mubarak said in an address to the nation that he would remain in power until the scheduled September elections, though many believed that he would announce plans to resign. Mubarak stated that he would delegate some of his powers to Vice President Sulayman but did not indicate which powers he intended to transfer. Mubarak also said that he would not be pressured by foreign entities to lift the country's emergency laws until conditions were right. Sulayman spoke after Mubarak and urged Egyptians to stop protests. [BBC, 2/10]

Feb. 11: President Mubarak resigned after weeks of protest, just one day after he stated that he would remain in power until the scheduled elections in September. Vice President Sulayman announced Mubarak's resignation in a brief statement on state television. Reacting to the news, many Egyptians erupted in mass jubilation and celebration. [BBC, 2/12]

Feb. 12: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces vowed to guarantee a peaceful transition of power in a free and democratic Egypt. The council also promised to hand power over to an elected civilian government within six months and continue to honor all of Egypt's international treaties. [Al- Jazeera, 2/13]

Feb. 13: Egypt's military dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces formed a panel to discuss amendments to the constitution. The Council also announced that it would remain in charge of the country for six months until a new government was formed. [Al-Jazeera, 2/13]

Feb. 15: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces appointed Tariq al-Bishry, a retired judge, to head a committee for constitutional amendments. The Council vowed to draft a new constitution within ten days and put it to a referendum within two months. [Al-Jazeera, 2/15]

Feb. 17: Former Interior Minister el-'Adly, former Tourism Minister Garana, and former Housing Minister el-Maghrabi were detained on suspicion of misappropriating public funds. The public prosecutor also sought to freeze the accounts of the three ex-ministers. [Al-Jazeera, 2/17]

Feb. 18: Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square for a "Day of Victory" that marked the one week anniversary of President Mubarak's resignation. The gathering also served as a reminder to the military that demands still needed to be met. During the celebration, Mubarak supporters gathered to demonstrate in front of a mosque in a "Friday of Loyalty." Additionally, the military announced that it would not tolerate continued strikes due to its detrimental effect on the economy. While the military said it would not take action against political protests, strikes would be banned. [BBC, CNN, 2/18]

Investigators located Mubarak's funds in Swiss bank accounts. Tens of millions of dollars were discovered and officials froze the accounts. [NYT, 2/18]

Feb. 20: Egyptian museums and sites reopened for the first time since the civil uprising began in January. The uprisings were believed to have cost the tourism industry $800 million. [BBC, 2/21]

Feb. 22: Egypt swore in its new cabinet, consisting of new members from opposition parties serving as Deputy Prime Minister, Tourism Minister, and Minister of Social Solidarity and Social Justice. The majority of seats, however, remained the same, including the Defense, Interior, Foreign, Finance and Justice Ministers. The Muslim Brotherhood criticized the cabinet for containing too many old supporters of Mubarak. [Al-Jazeera, 2/22]

Feb. 26: Egyptian citizens gathered in Tahrir Square to demand the removal of Mubarak loyalists from the interim cabinet. The army used tasers and batons to force the protestors to disperse. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the ruling military council, later apologized for the military's response. [Al-Jazeera, 2/26]

Feb. 28: Egypt's general prosecutor imposed a travel ban on former President Mubarak and his family. The general prosecutor also ordered Mubarak's domestic financial assets to be frozen. [Al-Jazeera, 2/28]

Mar. 3: Responding to protestors' demands, Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq resigned. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces replaced him with former Transport Minister Isam Sharaf. [Al-Jazeera, 3/4]

Mar. 4: About 1,000 Egyptian protestors stormed the headquarters of Egypt's state security force in Alexandria because they believed that officers inside were shredding and destroying documents that would have proven past abuse under Mubarak's government. Before the military intervened and took control of the building, protestors threw petrol bombs at police to which the police responded by firing rounds. The protestors demanded the abolition of the state security apparatus and an end to emergency laws. [Al-Jazeera, 3/5]

Mar. 6: Prime Minister Sharaf appointed Nabil el-'Araby, a former judge with the Hague-based International Court of Justice, as Foreign Minister and Mansour el-Essawy, a former head of security for Giza, as Interior Minister. The appointments created further distance from the Mubarak government in an attempt to appease protestors. [Al-Jazeera, 3/6]

Mar. 7: Egyptian cabinet members and Prime Minister Sharaf were sworn in by the country's military rulers. Pro-reform groups responded well to the new cabinet. [Al- Jazeera, 3/7]

Mar. 10: Opposition leader ElBaradei announced his intention to run for the presidency in Egypt's 2011 presidential election. ElBaradei stated that he intended to nominate himself as soon as possible. ElBaradei also criticized the proposed constitutional amendments and appealed to military rulers to delay the scheduled referendum. [Al-Jazeera, 3/10]

Mar. 13: The Egyptian military removed a law that previously had given ousted President Mubarak the power to veto the establishment of new political parties. Critics worried that the approaching change in government would not give new political parties enough time to campaign. [Al- Jazeera, 3/13]

Mar. 15: Interior Minister el-Essawy dissolved the internal security agency, the State Security Investigation Service (SSIS). The SSIS was blamed for decades of human rights abuses and its violent action helped spur the popular uprising that overthrew President Mubarak. El-Essawy replaced the SSIS with a new "National Security Force," which was to be tasked with "protecting the domestic front and combating terrorism." [BBC, 3/15]

Mar. 17: The governing military council in Egypt released Muhammad al-Zawahri from prison. Al-Zawahri was the brother of al-Qa'ida's second in-command, Ayman al- Zawahri. Muhammad was extradited to Egypt from the UAE in 2000 and held on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government. He was also the head of the Special Action Committee of Islamic Jihad, which organized terrorist operations. [NYT, 3/17]

Mar. 19: Trying to cast his vote in a referendum for political reform in Cairo, Muhammad ElBaradei was attacked. A group of approximately 60 youths pushed and threw stones at the Nobel laureate. The attackers yelled, "We don't want you!" in reference to ElBaradei's plans to run for president. ElBaradei was forced to vote elsewhere. [Reuters, 3/19]

Mar. 19: 77% of Egyptian voters voted to approve the amendments to the constitution in a national referendum. The first elections in memory that were not thought to be rigged by political figures, the referendum's passage meant that parliamentary elections could occur as early as September, with a presidential election shortly following. [Reuters, 3/20]

Mar. 22: Police officers protested outside of the Interior Ministry in Cairo, demanding higher wages and the resignation of newly installed Interior Minister el-Essawy. Following the protest, a fire engulfed the upper floors of the building. It was unclear who was responsible for the fire; however, onlookers attributed the arson to conspirators in the ministry or agents of the state security service. [NYT, 3/22]

Mar. 23: Egypt's stock market opened for the first time since January 27, when the exchange closed two days after the uprising began. In its first day of trading, the stock market plummeted almost 9% because of foreign investors' fears about Egypt's stability. [Al-Jazeera, 3/23]

Former Interior Minister el-'Adly and four security officials were charged with killing protestors. El-'Adly was also on trial for money-laundering. The four security chiefs were detained on March 11 for allowing the shooting of protestors. [BBC, 3/23]

Mar. 24: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with Egypt's military ruler, Field Marshal Muhammed Husayn Tantawi, in Cairo. The two officials discussed Libya and Gates assured Tantawi of sustained US aid. [Reuters, 3/24]

Mar. 28: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces placed ousted President Mubarak and his family under house arrest. The Council stated that Mubarak would not be allowed to leave the country, disputing reports that Mubarak had fled to Saudi Arabia. [Al-Jazeera, 3/28]

Apr. 1: The Youth Revolution Coalition, a group founded by the youth activists who organized the January 25 protests, rallied in a demonstration called, "Friday for the Rescue of the Revolution." The protest called for ousted President Mubarak and former members of his administration to be put on trial. [Al-Jazeera, 4/1]

Apr. 8: Approximately 3,000 Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square to demand the prosecution of ousted President Mubarak and officials of his administration. The rally was dubbed "Day of Trial and Cleansing." The Muslim Brotherhood joined the protests. [Al-Jazeera, 4/8]

Apr. 9: At least two protestors were killed by soldiers armed with clubs and rifles in Tahrir Square. The demonstrators demanded the trials of Mubarak and his sons and the immediate transition from military to civilian rule. Reports linked the crackdown to the decision of a few soldiers to join protests on April 8 and demand that Field Marshal Tantawi transfer power to civilians. [The Guardian, NYT, 4/9]

Apr. 10: Over 1,000 protestors ignored an army order to leave Tahrir Square and continued to demand the transition to civilian rule and the prosecution of Mubarak and his associates. In a concession to protestors, the army and interim military government announced plans to remove some provincial governors appointed by former President Mubarak. [BBC, Reuters, 4/10]

Apr. 11: Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil was sentenced to three years in prison for criticizing the military for its "continuation of the corruption and anti-democratic practices" of former President Mubarak. Human rights groups criticized the military's actions after Nabil was convicted by a military tribunal. [NYT, 4/11]

Apr. 12: Former President Mubarak was hospitalized in Sharm al-Shaykh. It was unclear why Mubarak was hospitalized. Shortly after, Egypt's prosecutor general ordered the detention of Mubarak and his sons, Gamal and 'Ala', for 15 days pending investigation. The investigation included allegations of assault, killings and injury of protestors, corruption, squandering of public funds, and the abuse of authority for personal gain. [NYT, 4/12, 4/13]

Apr. 15: Prosecutors decided to move ousted President Mubarak to a military hospital pending interrogation. Mubarak fell ill during a meeting with prosecutors on April 12. [RFE/RL, 4/15]