The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
PRESS
RELEASE
A New Security Strike Against Members from the Muslim Brothers |
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, EOHR, has received with strong annoyance, news of the arrest carried out by state security police on the 14th and 15th of October of 20 persons from the professional syndicates leadership who also belonged to the banned "Muslim Brothers" Group. Furthermore, EOHR was also disturbed by referring the arrested to state security prosecution, which in turn decided to detain them for 15 days pending case no 1149/1999. They were accused of joining an illegal organization that aims at hindering constitutional and legal rulings , and preventing state institutions from operating The EOHR has learned that a state security police force and three of state security attorney generals, broke into the premises of the Engineering Organizations' Administration (an NGO in Hadayek El Maadi district) on Thursday the 14th at 3 PM, and rounded up all the individuals present who numbered 16 people after conducting personal and general scrutiny. The breaking-in occurred during a meeting of professional syndicates' representatives from various governorates. The following day, Friday the 15th, four more people were arrested. ( A table with the names and vocations of the arrested is attached). The EOHR expresses its astonishment concerning the content of the memo by state security police which stated that the accused aimed at entering the syndicates' elections as well as getting their feet in the people's assembly and local councils; in order to be able to infiltrate these institutions. The EOHR points to the fact that the number of the Muslim Brothers apprehended by the state since the end of 1998, has almost reached 200. One hundred of them remain in temporary detention pending the resolution of 25 cases with similar charges to the aforementioned in this statement. EOHR , also marks a strong contradiction between official statements following the formation of the new cabinet which stressed the entrenchment of democracy on one side, and such practiced violations to the citizens' right to public administration of the country on the other. This constitutional right is guaranteed by articles (54), (55) and (65) of the constitution which state the right of citizens to associate and build up unions and organizations on democratic bases. In addition, Article (62 ) states " the citizen has the right to election, candidature and presentation of opinion during referendums according to the rulings of the law; his/her contribution to public life is a national duty" . These laws are already included in international human rights conventions approved by the Egyptian government. EOHR sees the late campaigns of arrest , as verifying its suspicions of the authority's respect to the right of political forces to peacefully express themselves. It also views such violation as confirming the lack of governmental response to the requests of the necessity of political reform and the right to political participation forwarded by the political forces and the EOHR respectively. Consequently, the EOHR calls upon the Egyptian authorities to release the apprehended individuals , fulfill its pledges of political and constitutional reform and fulfill its international commitments that are derived from its approval to international human rights conventions. Names of the Detained Individuals Pending State Security Case no 1149 for the year 1999 Name Governorate Vocation Atef Abdel Galeel El Semari Cairo Accountant Ahmad Mahmoud Hassan Mohammed Cairo Accountant in the Union of Engineering Organizations Ibrahim Ali El Sayed Hussein Sharkkyia Pharmacist and member of the Pharmacists Union's council Abdallah Zein Al Abdeen Suliman Cairo Treasurer of the Pharmacist union Ahmad Mohammed Abu Al Anwar Mansoura Engineer and member of the Engineers Union's Council Medhat Ahmad Al Hadad Alexandria Freelance Engineer and businessman Abdu Mustafa Al Bardweili Damietta Physician and member of the council of the General Doctors Union Ahmad Abdel Raheem Mohammed Abdel Hafeez Assiut Assistant professor in the University of Assiut Ali Abdel Raheem Mohammed Abdel Hafeez Assiut Assistant Professor at the University of Assiut Dr Mohammed Abdel Badei Abdel Maguid Bani sweif Secretary General of the Veterinarians Union Ahmad Ibrahim Ahmad El Helwani Cairo Teacher and member of the Teacher's Union Sai'd Abdel Azeem Ahmad Heikal Bani Sweif Member of the General Doctors Union's council Ahmad Shawki Abdel Satar Damietta Member of the Veterinarians Union's council Mukhtar Mohammed Nouh Cairo Lawyer and assistant treasurer of the Bar Association Dr Mohammed Ali Beshr Munufiyya Professor at Munufiyya University and the secretary general of the Engineers Union Khaled Badawi Cairo Lawyer and Assistant treasurer of the Bar Association Ibrahim Al Rashidi Suez Lawyer Dr Mohammed Saad Elewa Giza Physician and member of the Giza Doctors Union Dr Saad Zaghloul Giza Professor in Kasr el Aini Hospital-Cairo University and Secretary General of Cairo's Doctors Union. Dr Hesham El Souli Ismayliya Physician and member of the Doctors Union
