- Human RightsMB NewsPrisoners of Conscience
- January 5, 2010
- 7 minutes read
In 2009, 5000 MB arrests, 21 companies shut down and 15 million pounds confiscated.
Abdul Monem Abdul Maqsoud the Muslim Brotherhood‘s top defense lawyer asserted that the year 2009 witnessed over 5000 detentions of the movement’s members under the so-called emergency law. The Emergency Law provides that police may obtain an arrest warrant from the Ministry of Interior upon showing that an individual poses a danger to security and public order.
The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, during the year, security forces conducted large-scale arrests and detained thousands of MB without charge. Charges leveled against members typically included: belonging to and attempting to revive the activities of a banned organization; obstructing the laws and constitution of the country; inciting the masses against the Government; organizing demonstrations critical of the government’s policies and attempting to infiltrate student bodies to spread the ideology of a banned organization.
The most famous case this year includes case no. 404 known as the “International brotherhood network” which rounded up many of the Brotherhood’s highly ranked leaders including Dr Abdul Monem Abul Fotouh, Dr Ossama Nasr el-Deen and Dr Mahmoud Hussein. The Sharqiya governorate recorded the highest number of detainees reaching close to 691 arrests. This is preceded by the Dakahleya, Fayoum and Giza governorates.
The ruling government’s orders of arbitrary detentions reached its peak with the highest number of arrests during protests and demonstrations The Egyptian government cracked down severely on all demonstrations organized to support the Palestinians who strongly opposed the Israelis’ actions on the people of Gaza in particular and Palestine as a whole.
To top off the ruling regime ordered the closing of more than 21 privately owned businesses by the MB. The livelihood of many employees was at stake as a result. Furthermore a total of 15 million Egyptian pounds was confiscated from the homes that were raided.
Ironically the Egyptian government has reported it (the government) has been responsible for “speeding up the reform and development process and disseminating a human rights culture in society where it claims that “The advancement of human rights is a continuous, evolving and cumulative process. It seems that a reality check is in order to clarify to the government what human rights are.