CAIRO: In 2010, a total of 6,001 Muslim Brotherhood members and leaders from 22 governorates were arrested, according to a statement by the group's lawyer, Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud. The statement, released Tuesday, compared this number with 5,022 members detained in 2009 and 3,674 in 2008, citing a significant escalation in the number of arrests. Abdel Maqsoud attributed the reason behind the escalation in arrests to the People's Assembly (Lower House of Parliament) and Shoura Council (Upper House) elections that took place in 2010. There were 578 cases filed against the Brotherhood, accusing the group of using the religious slogan “Islam is the solution” and violating the laws regulating election campaigning. The statement adds that the court found the defendants innocent in most of these cases and considered the slogan “Islam is the solution” a political slogan in line with Egypt's constitution. The lawyer added that the government wanted to dominate the polls and prevent the Brotherhood from any political participation. “The year 2010 was filled with events that [aggravated] the regime against the Brotherhood and caused them to increase their crackdown on the group's members,” prominent MB member and former MP Mohamed El-Beltagy told Daily News Egypt. ”These events include the elections and the Brotherhood's decision to join the National Association for Change (NAC) and cooperate with them to achieve change and reform,” he added, “In addition to opposing the emergency law which was renewed in 2010.” The former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei founded NAC to garner public support for a statement of seven demands for political and social reform. Sharqeya governorate witnessed the most number of arrests, followed by Alexandria, with North Sinai being the governorate where the least number of arrests took place. That regime prevented tens of Brotherhood leaders from traveling abroad, including the group's former Supreme Guide Mohamed Mahdi Akef and prominent MB leader, Essam El-Erian, in violation Article 41 of the Constitution, according to the statement. Article 41 of the Constitution says that an individual cannot be prevented from “free movement” unless it is according to an order given by a “competent judge” or “public prosecution” in accordance with the law to preserve security. Abdel Maqsoud added that 106 businesses owned by Brotherhood members were closed down and 26 of their cars were confiscated in violation of Article 36 of the Constitution, which stipulates that “the general sequestration of funds shall be prohibited, private sequestration shall not be allowed except with a judicial decision.” “This could negatively affect Egypt's economy and weaken the chances of foreign investment, which has become skeptical of the political and social environment in Egypt,” the statement added. Abdel Maqsoud said that 4,433 students affiliated with the MB were violated during 2010, including 451 students who were expelled from college and 1,422 students who were excluded from participating in Student Union elections. In addition, 1,665 students were investigated and 895 students were deprived from staying in college dorms. “These violations are against international human rights conventions,” the statement read. “The government and the National Democratic Party's practices reflect their desire to [colonize] the political life in Egypt through [preventing] any form of expression from the opposition so they can prevail and completely control [the country] and [exploit it] to serve their personal interests and goals,” the statement added. Abdel Maqsoud called on the regime to open a dialogue with the opposition, especially the Brotherhood, to overcome their differences and preserve stability in the country. “It's still not clear how the regime will deal with us in 2011 and whether or not there will be a transition of power [in the 2011 presidential elections], but the Brotherhood have been arrested non-stop in the previous years,” El-Beltagy said. “We'll just have to wait and see.”
