Egypt: State Security Emergency Courts to try MB in absentia

CAIRO: Egypt’s Emergency State Security Court decided to begin the trial of four Egyptian members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) in July on charges of “affiliation to and fundraising for a banned group, the MB.”

The Islamic Human Rights Council (IHRC) said that Egyptian State Security Prosecutor Hesham Badawi, “cleared the confusion” between mixing the names of the Saudi Arabian Preacher Aaidh al-Qarni’s and Awad Mohamed al-Qarani, who is the actual defendant. Aaidh al-Qarni (the mistakenly accused) denied all charges.

Dr. Osama Soliman, who is still in prison despite the court’s release order issued six months ago, will be the only defendant present in the case.

Three other MB members, Dr. Ashraf Abdel Ghaffar, Ibrahim Moneer and preacher Wagdi Ghoneim who are accused in the “international network” case will be tried in absentia.

The ‘international network’ case was closed and reopened six months later after all defendants were cleared and acquitted by the court as no evidence was brought forward.

Emergency Laws imposed since 1981and used against political activists, have given the authorities the mandate to haul in political activists without warrants and to detain the group’s members indefinitely.

Egypt’s State of Emergency was extended in Egypt on May 11 for a further two years.

The IHRC said that it is “believed that the reason behind these charges is to cut all aid supporting Gaza so that Hamas accepts the terms and conditions of the Palestinian reconciliation agreement.”

According to the London-based group, this would result in “further restrictions on Hamas as the two chambers elections approach.”

BM/IHRC

Republished with permission from Bikya Masr