Egypt's Freedom and Justice Party: No retreat from demanding Morsi's return

A senior member of Egypt’s Freedom and Justice party has suggested that the popular revolution would never have been able to continue if it had not been for the legitimately elected President Dr Mohammed Morsi.

Azza Al-Garf, a former member of Egypt’s dissolved parliament, wrote on her Facebook page: “If it had not been for his determination, steadfastness, persistence and adherence to democratic legitimacy, the revolution would not have been able to persevere in the squares throughout all this time and with this level of determination and liveliness amid a growing revolutionary tide that is gaining momentum. [This is more so] especially after Morsi’s appearance in the courtroom, and the farce that is his trial, in which he showed only resilience and strength.”

She continued: “Dr Mohamed Morsi, the legitimate president of Egypt, is the most important pillar in [the efforts to] restore democratic legitimacy, and we will not accept any absurd attempt to compromise this demand whatsoever.

Al-Garf also noted that “democratic legitimacy means respecting the opinion of the people, opinions which they had expressed through the ballot box and the votes that represented them in five elections: the presidential elections, the constitutional referendum and the parliamentary elections. And this is democracy: the ballot box is the foundation [of democracy].”

She directed a message to Egypt’s elected leader as well: “Mr President Mohamed Morsi, tomorrow we will be celebrating the triumph of your will, resilience and resolve – both your resolve and the resolve of all Egyptians who are languishing behind the bars of the failed coup’s prisons.”