Essam El Erian, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is currently spending his days in an Egyptian prison cell. This is not the first time for El Erian. In fact it is his 5th time to be arrested and imprisoned by the Egyptian regime.

As Ibrahim Al Houdaiby so clearly explains in his article published in the Daily Star, Essam El Erian was arrested in 1981, 1985, 2005, 2006 and now in 2007.

In total he has spent 7 years in prison due to his political views.

Essam El Erian did not carry arms against the government and he has not joined an armed movement. He is an intellectual and political activist and while I personally disagree with his political convictions and ideas, his freedom is not an issue to differ with.

The Egyptian state for 55 years has been unable to contain or end the Muslim Brotherhood. They have used every means from killings, torture and mass arrests, but the Brotherhood still exists and flourishes.

Ideas can not be fought by arms they need to be fought on the intellectual arena.