Eghraa'Al Solta Al Mutlaka (Temptations of Absolute Power) by Basma Abdel-Aziz, Cairo: Sefsafa Publishing, 2010. pp 127

Sefsafa Publishing has just printed a study by Basma Abdel-Aziz, entitled "Temptations of Absolute Power". The book tracks the relationship between civilians and the police throughout history and won the Ahmed Bahaa Eldin award for young researchers in 2009.

The introduction by prominent journalist Salama Ahmed Salama, states that it's not possible to isolate the violence in police conduct from the rule of law and respect for human rights in society. He relates the image of the police's destructive powers to the slackness in law application.

The research reports that the relationship between the police and the public had been quite normal in the recent past, however this has changed and become one of tension and abuse.  The change didn't occur at one definite point in history, but rather came about because of increases in suppression that were ever-present.

The book also presents the history of creation of the security organisation and the episodes of suppression it has exercised over the years. The research only deals with the average civilian who is not politically active, without tackling the police dealings with religious groups and their violence towards the police themselves.