CAIRO: Member of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Mohamed Abdel-Karim told Daily News Egypt Wednesday that he was sacked from the group for attending an iftar dinner held by presidential hopeful and former member of the group's political bureau Abdel Monem Aboul-Fotouh. The membership of four others was frozen, including a member of the executive bureau of the Freedom and Justice Party, while around 35 other members were verbally reprimanded for attending the iftar. The decision was taken 10 days ago but was only made public this week. Abdel Karim, a physician, described the decision as “oppressive” and “unjust”. He claimed he was singled out from the rest of the group that attended the iftar and sacked because he was honest during the group's internal interrogations, which he also condemned. “They considered this a violation of the group's orders and orientations and they considered me unfit to be a member of the group,” he said. “They want to turn all the group's members into silent similar templates, that don't think and aren't allowed freedom of thought,” he added. In July, the MB group sacked Aboul-Fotouh for violating its decision not to contest the next presidential polls. He announced that he would join the race after the group repeatedly said that it would not field a presidential candidate. Abdel Karim pointed out that he had attended a press conference held by presidential hopeful Hazem Abou Ismail, and the group didn't object. He believed that this was an indication that the group was taking certain measures against Aboul Fotouh specifically, to prevent him from garnering support. Abdel-Karim described this stance as “unacceptable” to the interrogators. During the investigation that started late August other members downplayed the incident and gave statements that would spare them any penalty, he said.
The group's Secretary General Mahmoud Hussein justified the group's decision saying that attending this iftar was considered a violation of the group's announcement not to field or support any members affiliated or formerly affiliated with the group. He explained that the iftar, which was held last month during Ramadan, was a public dinner held as part of Aboul-Fotouh's presidential campaign. “Being affiliated with the group means abiding by its decisions,” Hussein told DNE. He said that was the case in political parties, where members abide by policies. However, Abdel-Karim disagreed, saying, “When we joined the MB, we didn't join a political party or a group that had a partisan commitment … we joined an intellectual group based on the love of Islam and religion.” “The (group's) administration has no right to dictate my convictions, political orientations or choices, especially when it comes to choosing the next president, and especially since I consider this a choice that I will be held accountable for before God.” he said.
