Yesterday, security forces arrested 17 members of the Muslim Brotherhood in three different governorates, most of whom were preparing to submit their candidacy papers for the Shura Council midterm elections in Beheira, Alexandria and Monufiya. The decision to arrest members of the Brotherhood is not related to the Shura Council elections, said a security source speaking on condition of anonymity. These members were arrested for belonging to a banned group and for holding meetings and distributing leaflets that incite the toppling of the regime and the creation of chaos. Sources from the Brotherhood said those arrested were Brotherhood members getting ready for Shura Council elections, as well as other members helping with publicity. MPs from the Brotherhood have reportedly submitted requests and complaints to the Prime Minister and the Head of the Supreme Commission for Elections objecting to the arrests. Sources from the Brotherhood predict they will be released after the legal deadline for presenting election papers has expired. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of independent and opposition candidates are presenting their papers to run in the midterm Shura elections. The National Democratic Party (NDP) refused to announce the names of its candidates until the deadline for the submission of elections papers has passed, so that candidates not nominated by the NDP will not have the opportunity to run against the NDP. However, some NDP members have already decided to run as independent candidates. In a related development, the Damanhour Criminal Court will decide whether or not to release Gamal Heshmat and Osama Suleiman—leaders of the Brotherhood who were arrested three days ago. Abdel Monem Abdel Maqsoud, a lawyer for the Brotherhood, said he predicts the two leaders will be released based on a lack of legal grounds for the arrest. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
