- August 20, 2006
- 3 minutes read
Dr. Ibrahim El Zafarani: Regime Still Adopts Despotic Policy

Following his release late last week, MB leader and Chairman of Alexandria Doctors’ Syndicate Dr. Ibrahim El Zafarani exclusively told Ikhwanweb the story of his detention and the period he spent in jail until he was released. Zafarani said he won two release rulings before but the Ministry of Interior challenged the rulings and insisted on the extension of his detention. So we (Ikhwanweb) didn’t believe until we asked his wife, who assured us that he was released and back home. Dr. Zafarani represented the Doctors Syndicate in the rally held April 27, 2006 where he made a speech expressing his syndicate’s support of the judges in their pursuit of reform. Days after this rally, mainly on May 11, 2006, he was arrested while he was at Ramsis District, Cairo; along with 255 other people most of whom belonged to Muslim Brotherhood. He spoke of his agonies by saying:
“In lieu with the law, I was supposed to be released July 7th. But two days before the release, I was surprised to see my name in another MB related case. So when I was referred to the Prosecution, I refused to answer any questions, citing groundless charges. As a result, my detention was extended until August 9thwhen an Alexandria court ordered my release, and the ruling was even seconded by the Criminal Court. But in spite of the release ruling, I was surprised to see my name in a third MB related case. I was referred to the Prosecution August 14th, which ordered my release, citing the unconstitutionality of jailing a person twice in the same case. Actually I was released August 16th, but after I was cleared twice by the judiciary.”
On whether he came under any inhuman treatments such as torture and the like, Zafarani said that he was well treated by the prison administration, but he complained of the deteriorating health service besides feelings of discontent over detention without charges. On the aim of these recurrent detentions, Zafarani said that it is an attempt on the part of the regime to cut Muslim Brotherhood down to size and exert pressures on its members besides scaring people away from joining the group especially after the sweeping win it achieved in the recent parliamentary election. On the future of relations between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian regime, Zafarani said that he sees no hope on the horizon as long as the government persists with its freedom restricting policy against Muslim Brotherhood in a way that illustrates the regime’s unstopping despotism against oppositionists.