Egypt

Egypt’s Brotherhood complains to ICC

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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood lawyers have submitted a formal complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the army’s “crimes against humanity.”

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party lawyers said in a press conference in London on Monday that they have asked the ICC to investigate the crimes the military committed against the Brotherhood leaders, members and supporters.

The lawyers added that they are planning to have a meeting with the ICC in the coming months to discuss opening a preliminary probe into what they have called “crimes against humanity.”

According to the lawyers, the declaration was lodged on December 20 on behalf of the first democratically elected President and Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the army on July 3, 2013.

The complaint details crimes committed by the Egyptian army since Morsi’s ouster and reportedly includes evidence of murder, unlawful imprisonment, torture, and disappearances.

“The message must be sent out clearly to the Egyptian military regime that it runs the risk of prosecution. This is what the declaration accepting the jurisdiction aims to achieve,” said John Dugard, a South African lawyer and member of the legal team appointed by the Freedom and Justice Party.
Supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been facing heavy crackdown by the military and its appointed interim government since July.

The clampdown mounted in December, after the interim government designated the Brotherhood as a “terrorist organization.”

It also accused the Brotherhood of being behind a blast at a police headquarters in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, where sixteen people were killed.

The categorization authorized the government to intensify the crackdown on the group’s leaders as well as their families.

On December 31, an Egyptian court ordered the assets of hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood leaders and those of their families to be confiscated.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry said on January 6 that Morsi would not be allowed to have any visitors for a one-month period, starting on January 2.

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