Morsi refused 'royal offer' to leave Egypt

The family of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi confirmed that they do not know exactly where he is being held. They also revealed that he is under pressure despite being detained for five years since the events of 3 July, 2013, to force him to “declare recognition of the legitimacy of the existing regime” and “renounce his legitimacy,” according to his family’s statements.

Abdullah, the son of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi, told Al Jazeera that his father is still holding on to his legitimacy as an elected president. He is also still refusing to surrender to the will of leaders who try from time to time to force him to  submit to their dictates.

Morsi’s son added that there are continuous attempts to subjugate his father and force him to recognise the current regime. They have reached the extent of an offer by a king who met him and arranged for him and his family to live outside Egypt, which he defiantly rejected. He pointed out that his father’s insistence on rejecting the current regime necessarily reflects his rejection of all its undertaken measures during this phase.

Read: Morsi’s son asks when violations against his father will end

According to Al Jazeera, there is almost no clear information about the ousted president’s health. Abdullah expects that he could be detained in one of the Tora Prison annexes where he met some of his family members for the second time.

Abdullah also confirmed that his family has been able to meet him only twice since his arrest. The first time was in November 2013 in Borg El-Arab prison, and the second was in June 2017 in the Tora Prison annex after the security’s clear stipulation that “men are not allowed to visit.” He pointed out that during the visits they were accompanied by security representatives and each of them did not last for more than half an hour.

He also revealed that his father is not allowed to interact with his family even regarding important family events. This includes banning him from seeing his grandchildren and preventing him from receiving condolences following the death of his mother-in-law.

Court of Appeal Counsellor and former Minister of Justice during the rule of Morsi, Ahmad Suleiman, said that Morsi had been subjected to temptations and pressures in return for his declaration of withdrawal. However, he refused to “let go of Egypt’s present and future to those who plan to destroy it and humiliate its people.”

Read: Egypt’s Morsi spends 5th year in prison since coup