Muslim Brotherhood Statement in the Aftermath of Recent Arrests

The Egyptian authorities continue to follow the same irrational and autocratic path by arresting and harassing noble citizens only because they call for comprehensive reform and seek to hold accountable those responsible for corruption in all realms of society.

 

On Friday March 31, 2006, the Security forces arrested a number of the Muslim Brotherhood figures from the Governorates of Alexandria, Giza, Asyout, and Gharbya after participating in a conference in Alexandria against Emergency Law. 

 

This vicious campaign represents an attack on leading society figures including university professors, doctors, lawyers, and businessmen in a clear violation of the regime’s promise of reform. This was done in order to undermine a future campaign, planned by the Muslim Brotherhood in coordination with the National Front for change, to end Emergency laws and reject all freedom restricting laws, which deprive citizens from their basic rights.

 

During the arrests, stunned innocent civilians and their neighbors watched in horror as the police carelessly broke through doors destroying property with no search warrants as the law requires. In one example, police officers stormed an oncology clinic owned by Dr. Ahmed Saleem, Professor of oncology at El Kasr El Einy (Cairo Faculty of Medicine) destroying and confiscating computers containing sensitive medical records of cancer patients and their therapy dosing systems, an action that can endanger their lives.

 

In addition, they also stormed and shut down, without a legal justification, the headquarters of “Mekka Company” and a factory in Cairo owned by businessman Ahmed Farghaly.

 

We, at the Muslim Brotherhood, condemn such intimidating and unjusfied actions and reaffirm our steadfastness in continuing our march for reform and serving the repressed people of Egypt.

We promise the Egyptian people that our relentless fight for freedoms and the respect for human dignity will continue.

We will work through every peaceful channel to regain the rights of our fellow citizens regardless of the sacrifices we make.

 

We also hold the President, the Prime Minister, the Interior Minister and the President of the parliament, fully responsible for these actions as well as the deterioration of freedoms in Egypt.

 

Mohamed Mahi Akef

Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood