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 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