Egypt prosecutors extend detention of Qaradawi’s daughter

Egypt’s prosecutors have renewed the pre-trial detention of the daughter of prominent Islamic scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and his son-in-law for 15 more days on the accusation that she belongs to the “terrorist” Muslim Brotherhood group.

Egypt’s government designated the Brotherhood a terrorist group in December 2013, less than five months after a military coup ousted Mohamed Morsi as president in July 2013. Since the coup Egypt has launched an unprecedented crackdown on the group’s members and followers.

Egyptian authorities arrested Ola Al-Qaradawi and her husband Hossam El-Din Khalaf – a leading member of Egypt’s Wasat political party – earlier this month while they were celebrating the Eid Al-Fitr festival that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Egypt’s northern coastal area.

Read: Egypt detains Qaradawi’s daughter, son in law

State security prosecution accused them of belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, and of plotting terrorist attacks against state institutions.

There are Muslim Brotherhood leaders who have been accused in the same case, such as Mohamed Abdul Rahman Al-Morsi, a member of the group’s guidance bureau.

In March 2016 an Egyptian court acquitted Khalaf, along with other opposition members, of charges that include “disseminating false news”.