Hashim_507
IB Veteran
- Messages
- 529
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- Religion
- Islam
An Egyptian court ruled against a presidential order that a group of Muslim Brotherhood members stand trial in a military court.
An Egyptian court ruled against a presidential order that a group of Muslim Brotherhood members stand trial in a military court.
The 40 Brotherhood members, who went on trial in April, include the group’s chief strategist and main financier, Khayrat el-Shatir.
They are expected to be charged with membership of a banned organization, money laundry and funding terrorism.
It was the first time since 2001 that Brotherhood members had stood a military trial.
A civilian court has twice ordered the release of al-Shatir and the other defendants, but Egyptian authorities overturned the rulings under the country’s emergency law.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in Egypt but normally tolerated, is the country’s most powerful opposition group.
The group made gains in the 2005 parliamentary elections. Its members, elected as independents, hold about one-fifth of the seats in the parliament, which is dominated by President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party.
Brotherhood officials say the authorities stepped up pressure against the group in recent months to reduce its clout ahead of the elections to the upper house, known as the Shura Council, which are expected in June.
“The Egyptian regime is trying by every method to hit the Brotherhood early to prevent it from contesting the next Shura elections,” Brotherhood deputy leader Mohamed Habib said last month.
Gaining seats in the Shura Council could help the Muslim Brotherhood bypass a ban that prevents all but recognized political parties from running for president.
Presidential elections are not due until 2011.
-- AJP and Agencies
http://www2.islamonline.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=5672
An Egyptian court ruled against a presidential order that a group of Muslim Brotherhood members stand trial in a military court.
The 40 Brotherhood members, who went on trial in April, include the group’s chief strategist and main financier, Khayrat el-Shatir.
They are expected to be charged with membership of a banned organization, money laundry and funding terrorism.
It was the first time since 2001 that Brotherhood members had stood a military trial.
A civilian court has twice ordered the release of al-Shatir and the other defendants, but Egyptian authorities overturned the rulings under the country’s emergency law.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in Egypt but normally tolerated, is the country’s most powerful opposition group.
The group made gains in the 2005 parliamentary elections. Its members, elected as independents, hold about one-fifth of the seats in the parliament, which is dominated by President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party.
Brotherhood officials say the authorities stepped up pressure against the group in recent months to reduce its clout ahead of the elections to the upper house, known as the Shura Council, which are expected in June.
“The Egyptian regime is trying by every method to hit the Brotherhood early to prevent it from contesting the next Shura elections,” Brotherhood deputy leader Mohamed Habib said last month.
Gaining seats in the Shura Council could help the Muslim Brotherhood bypass a ban that prevents all but recognized political parties from running for president.
Presidential elections are not due until 2011.
-- AJP and Agencies
http://www2.islamonline.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=5672
