The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest Islamist opposition group, on Sunday said security authorities have arrested 1206 of its members, including eight of its nominees for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Seven women are among those arrested. Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud, the group's lawyer, told reporters the detention campaign has been escalating over the past few days. The detainees were referred to the public prosecution services with fixed charges, he added. Abdel Maqsoud pointed out that prosecutors ordered 702 of the group's members to be remanded into custody, releasing the rest. The arrests were made in 22 provinces, with both Sharqiya and Alexandria registering the highest totals: 241 and 203, respectively. Abdel Maqsoud argued that fears of election forgery are starting to materialize. The group's candidates are denied communication with voters to promote their platforms. The regime's crackdown on the group has developed into bullying and violent actions by security apparatuses, which, Abdel Maqsoud said, denote an intention to clear the stage for a ruling National Democratic Party sweep. The Brotherhood, Abdel Maqsoud said, will, however, continue to work to prevent vote-rigging. He urged a halt to security campaigns which, he said, may spread violence and destabilize the country, while asking the regime to respect the constitution and ensure equal chances for candidates.
