CAIRO: An Interior Ministry representative was set to meet with independent MPs and Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated MP Yasser Hamoud to offer a formal apology for the unfortunate events of last Saturday. Hamoud was forced to pull hi car over for no reason and was assaulted by several police officers. Members of Hamoud s constituency in Monoufia witnessed the assault. We held a symbolic strike at 9 pm [on Saturday] said Dr. Hassan Hamdy an MB-affiliated MP, to support of Hamoud and demand a formal apology from the Interior Ministry. An apology that, until time of press, was not yet confirmed. According to the Brotherhood, the latest attack is part of a series of transgressions that has been taking place against its members for the past two weeks. They have arrested nearly 900 of our supporters, said Mahmoud Ezzat, secretary-general of the Brotherhood. Until Saturday night, the official number of arrests was 732. They are trying to intimidate anyone supporting our [19] candidates in the coming elections, said Mohamed Habib, deputy-leader of the group. Habib added that many of the members were arrested for handing out flyers containing religious slogans, but the High Elections Commission [HEC] can only refer their cases to court and so the police have no right to arrest them. Hamdy added that one of the ways used to terrorize supporters is by arresting their candidates. They arrest our candidates, detain them for several hours and then release them, he said, it s not an electoral process, it s military maneuvers. The HEC last week confirmed in a press conference that its power is judicial and that the commission doesn t have the power to arrest or disqualify any candidate. It also confirmed that the Brotherhood is allowed to campaign freely, within the boundaries of the HEC s regulations, something the Muslim Brotherhood denied vehemently. Look at the streets and see if you can find any of our candidates banners, said Ezzat, they are either ripped off or painted over. As to whether the Brotherhood candidates are using religious slogans, Ezzat added that their only motto is Islam is the solution and that till now no judicial body has announced it illegal to use. And on a more defiant note, Habib confirmed that they will continue to use religious banners. The Shoura elections taking place today contest 88 seats in the Upper house of Parliament. The ruling NDP has 96 contenders while its main competitor, the Muslim Brotherhood has fielded 19.
