Muslim Brotherhood figures held in prison refused for the second time to meet with members of 30 June fact-finding committee to hear their testimonies on incidents of Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda sit-ins dispersal.
Fouad Abdel Moneim Riyad, head of the committee, said the Brotherhood figures in prisons refused the committee request to hear their testimonies without specifying reasons.
Riyad argued their refusal to cooperate with the investigation to shed light on the incident will only harm them, adding that the committee is open to hearing anyone’s testimony so no one can claim a lack of objectivity or freedom of expression.
“Nothing explains the negative view of the Brotherhood toward the committee and abstention from cooperation, while they cooperate with foreign rights groups that carry out the same duty. We wished to hear what they tell the foreign groups, given that we search for data seeking truth nothing else. The committee has nothing to do with problems or political disputes,” Riyad said.
Riyad stressed that the committee is unbiased and not affiliated to government, though it was formed upon state decision.
He said the committee’s final report will tackle the incident of sit-ins dispersal as well as the post-30 June incidents including Abu Zaabal prison truck and violence in universities.
He also called on those who claim the committee was late in drafting the report to consider that it was formed five months after the dispersals, unlike other groups which started working once the incidents occurred.
Former Interim President Adly Mansour ordered the formation of the fact-finding committee at beginning of the year to investigate the violence that took place upon ouster of toppled President Mohamed Morsy. The government had earlier announced it would hand in the final draft to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on 21 September.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
