Muslim Brotherhood detainees are being excluded from all presidential pardon lists, according to Tarek El-Khouly, a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee established by the Egyptian authorities.
El-Khouly, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and a member of the Coordination Committee of Party Youth Leaders and Politicians, said: “These individuals pose a threat to Egypt, even if some of them have not been involved in violence. They are still likely to commit acts of violence and might threaten the security of Egyptians.
His comments, made during statements to several local news outlets including Al-Gomhuria, Rosa El-Youssef, Al-Watan, and Sada El-Balad, have sparked criticism by some observers and human rights activists.
The Muslim Brotherhood group was banned in Egypt in 2013, and declared a terrorist organisation, blaming it for a string of attacks, which the group denied.