Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood told Bikya Masr on Friday that if the three bloggers arrested by Egyptian security forces on Wednesday are not released Friday, the Islamic group plans to begin a campaign on Saturday calling for their release. The move comes as Abdel Rahman Ayyash, Magdy Saad and Ahmed Abu Khalil remain in detention after being arrested on Wednesday.
Ayyash and Saad were detained at Cairo International Airport upon returning from Turkey, while Abu Khalil was arrested in a dawn raid on his Nasr City home.
According to the Brotherhood, Ayyash has been taken to Mansoura, where he is currently being held by state security, who have yet to charge any of the three over their arrests. The others remain in detention as well, with their exact whereabouts unknown.
“If Ayyash is not released today [Friday], then tomorrow [Saturday], we will begin a campaign against the government as he will be considered a prisoner of conscience,” Khaled Hamza told Bikya Masr.
Ayyash has been an outspoken critic of conservatism in the country and has written extensively on the role of the Brotherhood in forming a new, reformist agenda. He is a main supporter of jailed reformist leader Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh – arguably the leader of the Brotherhood’s reformers – and observers believe this could be one of the leading causes for his arrest on Wednesday.
“These guys are among the most influential young Islamist bloggers in Egypt, generally voices for dialogue with other currents and reform inside the Muslim Brotherhood,” wrote the Arabist blog.
The government has been cracking down on Brotherhood members in recent months, most notably with the so-called reformist leaders and activists, in what some argue is an attempt to alienate them with their supporters ahead of the dissolvement of Parliament and new elections, although ruling National Democratic Party members have denied new elections.
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BM News: Brotherhood to start campaign if bloggers not released …
