(New York, October 22) -- In a letter to President Hosni Mubarak made
public today, Human Rights Watch protested the pattern of harassment and
arrest of well-known members of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the
largest opposition political forces in Egypt. Twenty members,
including lawyers, doctors, engineers, and university professors, were
arrested last week and the higher state security prosecutor ordered them
detained for questioning for fifteen days.
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"The Muslim Brotherhood is a powerful political opposition group in
Egypt. Its members should be allowed to participate fully in political life and the banning of the
organization should be lifted."
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Hanny Megally Executive Director of the Middle East and
North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch
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According to official reports, the charges against them included
"spreading the group's ideas" and "attempting to infiltrate the
country's professional associations." Many of the twenty arrested were
elected officers of professional associations for engineers, lawyers,
teachers, and veterinarians.
"The Muslim Brotherhood is a powerful political opposition group in
Egypt," said Hanny Megally, executive director of the Middle East and
North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch. "Its members should be
allowed to participate fully in political life and the banning of the
organization should be lifted."
Human Rights Watch called for the release of those detained, and said
the Mubarak government should take steps to enlarge the political space
in Egypt to include a diversity of peaceful political opinions.
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