Egypt Place 161 Person On Terror List Over Muslim Brotherhood Membership

Egyptian authorities listed 161 citizens, including 21 women, as terrorists on charges of membership in an outlawed organisation, in reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, and spreading chaos in the country, the Egyptian official gazette reported yesterday.

The decision to list the 161 persons was taken in November, the paper said, adding that they will remain on the country’s terror list for three years.

Egypt banned the Muslim Brotherhood, designated it a terrorist organisation and launched an unprecedented crackdown on its leaders, members and sympathisers in the wake of the 2013 military coup that ousted the first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi.

Since the coup, scores of Brotherhood members and followers have been arrested or forcefully disappeared and hundreds are facing trial.

November’s decision may be appealed before the Court of Cassation within 60 days of its announcement.

The Muslim Brotherhood denies that its members have been involved in terrorist operations, maintaining that they were blacklisted for taking part in peaceful anti-coup, pro-democracy protests.

FROM MIDDLE EAST MONITOR