“Justice and Freedom” Party Involves 93 Christian and the Vice Chairman of the Party is a Coptic Thinker

Today (Wednesday, May 18, 2011), Dr. Mohamed Saad al-Katatni, a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the representative of the founders of "Freedom and Justice" Party, formally presented the documents required for the establishment of the party to the Committee on Political Parties.

At a news conference attended by several leaders of the group following the submission of papers in front of the Supreme Court in central Cairo, where the headquarters of the Parties Affairs Committee is, Al-Katatni said that the number of founders who signed proxy documents for the Party reached 8821 from all Egyptian governorates; including 978 women and 93 Copts. He also pointed that the Christian thinker, Dr. Rafiq Habib, was selected as the Deputy Chairman of the Party.
 
Al-Katatni said: "During the coming period, we will be publishing the names of the founders, according to the law, in two widely circulated daily newspapers". He also said that the formation of party structures in the governorates and the polit-bureau will be achieved within a month, and the Party will start to exercise its actual activity on June 17."

Al-Katatni denied that the choice of the Christian thinker, Dr. Rafiq Habib, was only on the bases of him being a Christian. He said: "We did not choose Rafiq Habib just because he was a Christian, but basically for his value as a high calibre intellectual and a prominent public figure who would add a lot to the Party,". He also said: "The presence of Christians among the founders of the Party stands clearly and explicitly as a proof that the Muslim Brotherhood walk the talk and remain consistent with the statements they make. He also said: "This is also evidence that our Christian brothers are partners in the homeland."
 
Al-Katatni said: "The fears voiced by some people of what they call ‘the rise of Islamists in the Egyptian political life’ have no grounds in reality". He added: "The Egyptian people are naturally religious, and the fear of the rise of the Islamists is only intended to be as an attack against the Islamists that are active in Egypt", and he concluded by saying: "We say to those people that they should be committed to the spirit of democracy and that of the revolution of January 25th."