MB defense calls for immediate release of Al-Shater and his Companions

The lawyers defence team for the Muslim Brotherhood‘s senior leaders who were sentenced to harsh sentences by a military tribunal ranging from five to seven years has expressed deep regret on the continued imprisonment of Eng. Khayrat Al-Shater MB deputy chairman, businessman Hassan Malik, Ahmed Shousha, Sadeq Abdel Rahman Al-Sharkawi and Eng. Ahmed Ashraf. Their detentions are in flagrant violation of the law, articles of the Egyptian Constitution, covenants, treaties and International agreements such as the UN conventions involving human rights which were in fact signed by Egypt .

A statement issued by the Coordinators of the MB Defense Panel including top lawyer Abdul Monem Abdul Maqsud from the defence team has condemned the continuation of the ruling regime’s practices defiance. Acquittal decisions issued three times in favor of the MB prisoners of conscience have been ordered however the regime continues to ignore the verdict. 

The defense team called for the immediate and prompt release of the convicts and others who are being unjustly prosecuted before special courts. They also urged authorities to end the practice of trying civilians before military courts.

 The defence stressed the need to take into account the health of the detainees remaining in prison asserting that other prisoners were released on account of their poor health. The lawyers appealed to all organizations to support the innocent detainees and to pressure the government into respecting the release orders. Demands for the passing of a bill to annul the emergency law were also made. 

The defense argued that Egypt ‘s ruling regime has mistakenly continued to abuse their powers where they constantly incarcerate honorable people.

 The authority’s continued misuse of the emergency law which may be passed in parliament will continue in defying the rights of Egyptian citizens, preventing them from exercising their legitimate privileges, emphasizing that such a law will undoubtedly lead to the ongoing arrests of thousands of innocent Egyptians each year.

“The authoritarian regime has arrested more than 5,000 Muslim Brotherhood members in 2009 and prevented them from expressing their opinions freely and arrested nearly 4,000 others in 2008, while hundreds of Egyptians had been detained in the first three months of 2010”, as stated by the defence, adding the security forces have recently detained some of April 6th movement activists and hundreds of young Brotherhood students in the Egyptian universities. Furthermore, there were unprecedented arrests and violations of women’s rights.

The defense, accused the authorities of ignoring the most simplest of liberties and allowing visitation rights to detainees even during National holidays. Lawyers continued in their defense asserting that many of the MB detainees are highly qualified people with different professions including, doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists and even university professors.

The defence emphasized that the regime’s intransigence in continuing to oppress any individual who endeavors to express opinion will hinder reform, highlighting that the government’s security services adopt an approach based on tyranny.

The MB defence team demands the Egyptian regime take part in the democratizing of the country through the abolition of emergency law and the prevention of trying honorable citizens in military courts in order to preserve the country’s security and stability.

“Conducting dialogue and ensuring the rights and freedoms will pave the way for the establishment of a sound democratic life which will ultimately result in the advancement of Egypt and its welfare”, they said, adding that “The suppression, confiscation of freedoms, arbitrary detention and referral to military courts will undoubtedly spread chaos and increased tension against the regime’s hostility to the community”.