Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood’s activities officially banned and their funds to be seized

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo
(Image: Business Insider)

Special panel formed by the Interim government and tasked with the managing the assets of Muslim Brotherhood has stated on Tuesday, 8 October, that all the financial funds of Muslim Brotherhood and its organizations should be officially frozen.

In addition to that special governmental panel headed by Ahmed El-Borai, Minister for Social Solidarity, has also annulled the status of NGO for Muslim Brotherhood. The procedure of annulment of registered NGO was conducted due to the order and was a normal procedure, according to the panel representative and to the statement of Hazem El-Beblawy, Egypt’s Interim Prime Minister.

It’s worth mentioning that Cairo Court for urgent matters has ordered on 23 September the official ban of Muslim Brotherhood as an organization and of all the activities of the group due to the alleged links of the Muslim Brotherhood to the terrorist organization. The court has also ordered the government to seize the funds of the group and to form special panel to administer the funds until this court decision won’t be appealed in the court by Muslim Brotherhood’s representatives.

There was also recommendation to ban Freedom and Justice Party which is the political wing of Muslim Brotherhood.

Ahmed El-Borai though stated on the next day after this court order that the decision regarding the disbanding of Muslim Brotherhood and banning of its activities and all affiliated groups and organizations should be taken only after all the litigation measures against its members will be taken as hundreds of the Muslim Brotherhood’s members including leaders and influential figures have been arrested after the crackdown of the Islamists’ sit-ins and are currently under investigation facing the trial over the accusations of inciting the violence during the protests.

Muslim Brotherhood has also officially appealed the court’s decision regarding the dissolution and ban of the group and freezing its assets on Monday. There have been two lawsuits filed by the Islamist group, but both of them have been denied on Tuesday by Egypt’s Lawsuit Authority which declared that it will not appeal the ban of Muslim Brotherhood. The court decision was declared as final and cannot be appealed by any authority or the state.

Meanwhile Islamists and supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsy remain defiant refusing to communicate with the current interim government and denying the political roadmap set by the Armed Forces after Mohamed Morsy was ousted on 3 July amid the massive protests against him nationwide.

Massive and violent clashes have also erupted between pro-Morsy protesters, their opponents and security forces in Cairo and in other governorates on Sunday, 6 October, during the celebrations of the 40^th anniversary of 6^th October War. Nearly 53 people have been officially declared dead, more than 200 people injured. Massive explosion in South Sinai security forces headquarters, attack against officers and soldiers in Ismailia and attack on TV-station in Cairo’s Maadi have foolowed the tragic events.