Commute Death Sentences for Rab a Protestors
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Egypt: Commute Death Sentences for Rab a Protestors
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Last Updated On: Apr 29 2021 02:13 Gmt+3
In an irony of fate, from coming to power in 2012 to the 2013 post-coup crackdown, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) arguably underwent both the highest and lowest moments of its history in less than a year. Exiled and disempowered, the movement today is trying to revive itself in Istanbul among a few other places, with Turkey being its largest supporter in the world. Many observers explain the Turkish support by pointing to the similar ideological roots of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and MB. However, such ideological readings overlook the bumpy trajectory of relations between the two.
None of this is unusual.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi’s government has, since late 2013, arrested and prosecuted tens of thousands of peaceful critics, journalists, academics and human rights defenders in an “assembly line” of serious abuse. But Mahsoob was not targeted for any political involvement. She was apparently arrested only because she is the sister of Mohamed Mahsoob, the legal and parliamentary affairs minister under former President Mohamed Morsi, and a leader of the moderate al-Wasat Party. He is now based in Paris, fleeing persecution in Egypt after the military ousted Morsi in July 2013.
Mahsoob’s arrest is part of broader thuggish tactics against families of critics and opponents who now live abroad. This has been escalating in recent years. There have been dozens of home raids, arrests and travel bans targeting relatives in Egypt who are not involved with politics.