Security services on Sunday arrested 58 members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) opposition movement in three different governorates.
The men were charged with campaigning for the group's parliamentary candidates before the official start date for electoral campaigns set by Egypt's High Elections Commission. Egypt will hold nationwide parliamentary elections on 28 November.
“It's a political move that has no basis in law,” MB lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud said, commenting on the spate of arrests. He went on to say that the ruling regime was trying to "intimidate" the group and its supporters in the run-up to elections.
“Every time there's an election, more and more MB members are arrested,” Abdel Maqsoud said, denying that the group's candidates had begun campaigning before the official start date.
In related news, two candidates from the opposition Ghad Party in Ismailia were also arrested for the same reason.
Ghad Party Undersecretary Ossama al-Allaf responded to the arrests by accusing the government of maintaining double standards.
"Campaign posters for candidates representing the ruling National Democratic Party are plastered everywhere," he said.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
