Egypt renews imprisonment of Muslim Brothers figure

Judicial sources said that the supreme state security court in Egypt renewed on Sunday, for the fourth running time, imprisonment for 15 days for the leading figure in the Muslim Brothers group, Issam al-Aryan.

The Egyptian court also ordered imprisonment of other three members in the group who are currently investigated on charges of joining a banned group and circulation of publications urging hatred for the regime.

In June, the Muslim Brothers said that the authorities still hold 306 among 3,000 of its members held by the security forces following demonstrations they held.

The attorney general said that only 43 members of the group are still held after the release of most of the detained persons.

Al-Aryan was arrested after demonstrations organized by the group in May this year demanding political reforms. He has been investigated by the attorney general over joining a banned group and calling for demonstrations and leading demonstrators.

In a new development, the Muslim Brothers group said it will organize next Wednesday a demonstration in Medaan Abidin quarters in the center of Cairo in support of its reform demands, especially the freedom of forming political parties. However, the Egyptian government does not allow the formation of political parties that are based on religious foundations.