Muslim Brotherhood condemns ban on lawyers meeting Morsi

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has condemned the continued “enforced disappearance” of ousted President Mohamed Morsi and the ongoing ban on visits by his lawyers. The movement accused the authorities of “abducting” Morsi on July 3 and holding him incommunicado ever since in an attempt to put pressure on him to offer concessions.

In a statement on Sunday, the Brotherhood added that the “putschists” fabricated charges against Morsi after he refused to back down. Some of these charges were dropped by the Presidential Elections Committee, while others have been dismissed by rights groups as preposterous. In the six months following the coup, the statement added, only one visit by his legal team was allowed, despite permits obtained from the Public Prosecutor; the Ministry of Interior rejected requests consistently.

The movement expressed fears about Morsi’s safety and wondered why he is is not allowed to see his family and lawyers. It added that these detention conditions violate all human values and legal and religious principles.

It also criticised what it called “double standards” shown by the UN Secretary General and a number of Western governments who denounced the recent crackdown against activists “but were silent about the enforced disappearance of a legitimate president”. The Brotherhood also holds the “coup leaders” responsible for the ousted president’s safety.

Source: FJP