An administrative court on Tuesday will consider a lawsuit demanding the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of its branches nationwide and the confiscation of its funding.
Lawyer Shehata Mohamed Shehata filed the suit against Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri, Finance Minister Momtaz al-Saeed, Social Solidarity and Domestic Trade Minister Gouda Abdel Khaleq, Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and Brotherhood presidential candidate Mohamed Morsy.
Shehata argued that all had failed to disband the Brotherhood and prevent it from establishing a political party. He said the group is still engaged in political and social activism despite being banned for more than 60 years.
He said the “corrupt” former regime refused to legalize the Brotherhood but explained that the laws regulating the work of civil associations require the group to adapt to its provisions.
“The Brotherhood members refuse to do that to keep their operations free from state scrutiny,” Shehata said, adding that Egyptians have the right to be assured on the legality and funding of their rulers.
Meanwhile, judicial sources who spoke to Al-Masry Al-Youm predicted two scenarios for the court verdict on the case: turning down the lawsuit and sparing the Brotherhood of any legal consequences, or accepting the demands voiced in the petition, making it up to the Political Parties Affairs Committee to decide whether to grant the Brotherhood a legal personality.
The sources said disbanding the group’s Freedom and Justice Party would not impact Morsy’s presidential bid, noting that determining the legality of his candidacy is the responsibility of the Presidential Elections Commission.
The judicial sources said that a court ruling to freeze the Brotherhood would not be new because that measure had already been taken by former President Anwar Sadat.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
