Muslim brothers members detained in Egypt
Egypt, Politics, 12/12/2003

The number of the Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Muslim Brothers) members, who were arrested by the Egyptian authorities this week, increased to 36 after these authorities detained yesterday an additional 13 members of the banned group.

During the three past days, the Egyptian authorities detained 23 members of the Muslim Brothers, most of them students in al-Fayyoum governorate.

In a statement, the Egyptian Organization For Human Rights said that the students were arrested for their activities during elections of students federations, "which has been ongoing since several weeks." Worthy mentioning that the Egyptian authorities have not permitted students to take part in the elections.

The organization criticized the detention acts, saying that they represent an extension to a routine and known phenomenon in the position of the state towards the Muslim Brother group, that are mostly linked to certain incidents such as general and local elections, or elections for the university students federation.

The organization renewed its regret over the over-use of the emergency law by specialized authorities. A law which has been enforced in Egypt since the assassination of the former Egyptian President Anwar al- Sadat at the hands of Islamists activists in 1981, and for violating human rights, by constricting political opposition, and shutting the mouth of the civil societies.

Worthy mentioning that the Egyptian government permits the Muslim Brothers group to practice certain activities, this is despite its being a banned group, which is considered the largest opposition group In Egypt.

Members of the Muslim Brothers occupy 16 seats inside the Egyptian parliament which is composed of 454 seats, but they are considered independent members because activities of their groups have been banned in Egypt since 1954.

Previous Stories:
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  Amnesty International: measures to ban torture in Egypt are not enough   (11/25/2003)
  Hudeibi calls for a comprehensive political reform in Egypt   (11/10/2003)
  Egypt: One Muslim brother members died under torture   (11/8/2003)

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