MB To Hold Elections To Choose Members Of Its Executive Bureau

Mr. Mohamed Akef, chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood, announced the organization will hold internal elections to choose new members of its Executive Bureau (Maktab al Irshad), the highest governing authority within the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mr. Akef stated the organization is determined to hold the elections despite the ban imposed by Egyptian authorities on its activities and the continuous harassment of its members by police and security forces “We will go ahead with the elections even if we get arrested, we will proceed from prison cells”. Mr. Akef indicated that the Muslim Brothers must be a role model to others in their application of democracy and shura (consultation) even during the most difficult times. Mr. Akef made his remarks in a statement to the “Freedom” newsletter issued by the National Committee for Defending Prisoners of Opinion (term usually used to describe citizens who have been imprisoned because of expressing their opinions, which are usually critical of the government). The active committee is headed by famous writer Mr. Mohamed Abdel Kodos, who is a human right activist and member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 1995, Egyptian Security Apparatus arrested more than 80 of the Muslim Brotherhood leaders during their participation in similar elections to choose members of the Executive Bureau and referred them to military tribunal using emergency laws in place since 1981.

Since then, Muslim Brotherhood has been reluctant to hold any high-ranking elections under the law banning the organization and to preserve its leadership, although mid-level elections of its administrative offices across the country have been always held under tight security measures.