The prosecutor-general's office yesterday released 60 alleged members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group who had been detained for six months for belonging to an outlawed organization. | "The check cleared. Now g'won, git!" |
An official at the prosecutor-general's office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the charges had been dropped and the 60 were freed after the maximum detention period allowed under Egypt's emergency laws. He gave no reason for dropping the charges. Sawasya Center for Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination said 61 active members of the group had been arrested in May under the emergency laws, which give authorities wide powers of arrest and prolonged detention. Ali Abdel-Fattah, a leading Brotherhood member, confirmed the release of the men and told the Associated Press that some of the freed have already arrived at their homes. In a statement, Sawasya Center praised the release and urged the settlement of cases other citizens detained under emergency laws.
One detainee died in custody in June, prompting the Brotherhood to accuse the government of negligence and lack of medical care for the detainees. The government said Akram El-Zoheiri, 40, broke his pelvic bone while being transported to another detention facility and died while receiving treatment in the hospital, likely from internal bleeding exacerbated by his diabetes. |