Two Egyptian MPs Arrested, Houses Raided

Two  Egyptian MPs Arrested, Houses Raided

Egyptian security forces raided on Wednesday afternoon houses of MPs Ragab Abu Zeid and Sabri Amer, members of the People”s Assembly, Egypt”s lower chamber of parliament, and detained them in what a statement issued by the Muslim Brotherhood”s (MB) parliamentary bloc described as “a part of the ongoing security escalation practiced by the Egyptian regime against the Muslim Brotherhood”, according to the statement.
 
 It is worth mentioning that Abu Zaid and Amer were detained four months ago, on May, 29th, 2007 , in the governorate of Monoufia, east of Cairo , and were released one day later. They were detained during an alleged meeting that included MB leaders of Monoufia Governate to prepare for the latest Shura Council elections, in which the regime”s rigging and intimidation denied MB candidates any seat. They were detained then along with 12 MB leaders including engineers, university professors and teachers like Abul Fattouh Afifi, a veteran Muslim Brotherhood leader.
 
The prosecution released both MPs at that time, saying the claims of being arrested red-handed that allows, constitutionally speaking, the arrest of the two MPs without lifting their immunity is not available in that case, specially that the investigations with the detainees at that time confirmed that they were invited to the meeting to know their opinion regarding the Shura Council elections.
 
However the legislative and constitutional affairs committee in the Egyptian People”s Assembly controlled by the ruling National Party (NDP) voted, after the two MPs were released, for lifting their immunity on May, 9th, 2007, in a measure that was rejected by independent MPs, opposition parties and the MB parliamentary bloc. Some observers saw this measure as illegal, considering it an intrigue.
 
The People”s Assembly approved in its session on May, 9th, 2007 , lifting immunity on both MPs to take criminal procedures against them. However, no action was taken against them and they haven”t been subpoenaed since then. This confirms that today”s detentions are, legally speaking, arbitrary actions against two public figures, and that raiding their houses and their offices confirm that there is a specific message and a target from these actions. The message and target are humiliating MPs and exploiting the prosecution as a tool in the hands of the regime to settle scores with opposition.
 
 
 
Mohamed Habib, the first deputy chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood , saw the detention of both MPs as:” An unjustified measure which lacks decency.
“They should have subpoenaed them in a way which is in line with the prestige socially and politically. However, the regime cuts off all of channels”, added Habib.
 
Regarding Mostafa Al-Feqi”s Tuesday statements with aides of US Congressmen, Dr. Habib said:” They are mainly a propaganda. The regime continues its tyrannical method in dealing with people in general and the Muslim Brotherhood in particular”.
 
“The target of such actions is to tighten the grip on the Muslim Brotherhood and hunt its members and leaders and crack down on the group to paralyzes its political and social activities to sideline its role in political landscape” said the MB leader.
 
Habib said that the recent successive detentions against the Muslim Brotherhood group mainly aim to oppress the group, and cover the successive failures of the Egyptian government, specially in dealing with aggravating day-today- problems that the Egyptian citizen is suffering from”, added the MB leader.
“Add to this the tortures that shook the public opinion these days, and the issue of selling Cairo Bank. The regime wants to distract the attention of the public opinion away from such issues”.
 
Asked about the effect of such detentions on the Muslim Brotherhood group, Dr. Mohamed Habib said the group will:” Continue its path with full stability and belief. All attempts to oppress the group are doomed to fail, like many other previous blows”.
 
A statement was issued by the MB parliamentary bloc, a copy of which was obtained by Ikhwanweb. condemns the Wednesday detention of both MPs :
 
 
 
 
MB Bloc Statement On Detention of MPs Abu Zeid, Amer
 
The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) parliamentary bloc denounces the illegal detention of Members of Parliament Ragab Abu Zeid and Sabri Amer, members of the MB parliamentary bloc, from their houses on Wednesday at noon , August, 22nd, 2007 . The MB Bloc sees the detention of both MPs as a part of the ongoing security escalation practiced by the Egyptian regime against the Muslim Brotherhood, specially that the alleged four month case against both MPs saw no proceedings.
 
The People”s Assembly approved in its session on May, 9th, 2007 , lifting immunity on both MPs to take criminal procedures against them. However, no action was taken against them and they haven”t been subpoenaed since then. This confirms that today”s detentions are, legally speaking, arbitrary actions against two public figures, and that raiding their houses and their offices confirm that there is a specific message and a target from these actions. The message and target are humiliating MPs and exploiting the prosecution as a tool in the hands of the regime to settle scores with opposition.
 
The MB bloc voices its severe concern over such a flagrant development in the regime”s way of dealing with opposition, calling on the People”s Assembly speaker to take the necessary measures to protect representatives of people from the executive authority”s oppression on other state authorities.
 
Dr Mohamed Saad Al Katatni
 
Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc
 
Cairo , on August, 22nd, 2007