Egypt upholds court order to keep Aboutrika on ‘terror’ list

Egypt’s Court of Cassation yesterday upheld a ruling to include retired football star Mohammed Aboutrika, along with 1,528 others, on a “terror” list for a period of five years.

According to local media, the list also included a number of prominent Muslim Brotherhood leaders.

This is the second time Aboutrika has been relisted on a terror list after a similar decision by a cassation court in 2017 over his alleged “supporting and funding [of] the Brotherhood group.”

Aboutrika’s assets were first frozen in 2015 after the Egyptian regime found out that he had shares in a company, which was managed by a Brotherhood affiliate.

In July 2018, the cassation court  annulled a decision issued on 12 January 2017 to include Aboutrika and 1,537 others on the terror list. But in March, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi approved amendments to the Terrorist Entities Law, which included expanding the confiscation of assets, funds and properties of those placed on terror lists.

Under the Egyptian law, anyone placed on the terror list is subject to having their assets confiscated and being banned from travel.

READ: Egypt’s ex-vice president decries detentions without trial