Emergency Powers in Egypt

Until the recent revolution, Egypt had been under "Emergency Law" for nearly thirty years. The law, which was regularly extended by President Mubarak, allowed indefinite imprisonment without trial, detention and trials of civilians my military courts, and limits on speech and association. While the Egyptian government claims the law was imposed to protect citizens from terrorism and violence, international critics claim the case of Egypt exemplifies the threats of "emergency powers": they provide ultimate control to individual leaders with no monitoring and no end in sight.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/30/AR2006043001039.html