Public Prosecutor Hesham Barakat ordered putting ousted president Mohamed Morsy for 15 days in custody over charges of leaking documents on national security by sovereign authorities to Qatar via Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel during his tenure.
Investigators said Morsy was faced with the charges in prison, but refused to respond.
During investigations that lasted for four hours, Morsy insisted on his legitimacy as the current president and that he should not be questioned unless through legal and constitutional means. He also rejected all the charges leveled against him.
Morsy has been already in custody over other charges including espionage, killing protesters outside Ettihadiya Palace in December 2012 and escaping Wadi al-Natrun prison during the 25 January revolution.
Qatar, the biggest supporter of Morsy’s regime, provided Egypt with financial aid that reached up to US$8 billion upon Morsy's election. It rejected Morsy's ouster by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi upon mass protests demanding his removal.
Egypt closed the offices of Al-Jazeera for opposing authorities and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood group which Morsy belongs to.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
