EGYPT: Following his release, Egypt's prominent activist, Ahmed Maher, condemns Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi as another Mubarak pursuing "the same corrupted system"

Record ID: 213974

  • Title: EGYPT: Following his release, Egypt's prominent activist, Ahmed Maher, condemns Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi as another Mubarak pursuing "the same corrupted system"
  • Date: 11th May 2013
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MAY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING AGAINST MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD GROUP (Arabic) SAYING: "Down, down with the guide's rule, down down with all of the guide's dogs." DEMONSTRATORS HOLD PHOTOS OF ACTIVIST AHMED DOUMA CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS FEMALE DEMONSTRATORS HOLDS A PHOTO OF THE ACTIVIST, UMAR EMAD GENERAL CO-ORDINATOR OF THE APRIL 6 MOVEMENT, AHMED MAHER, SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL CO-ORDINATOR OF APRIL 6 MOVEMENT, AHMED MAHER, SAYING: "Of course things have been changing for a long time. When we supported Mursi we were aiming for a quiet, stable political settlement and the reconstruction of a new Egypt; we have previously supported the Muslim Brotherhood when we thought they would have good intentions, but we very quickly found out that there is no such intention. The Muslim Brotherhood are pursuing the same corrupted and unsuccessful system of Mubarak; the same administration and the same policy, they even use the same laws and the same repression by arresting people, so I think we hold our course and push for change." VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS
  • Embargoed: 26th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5JI3GT2GFC5TJ9D29FDGT5EM
  • Story Text: Dozens of members of the April 6 Youth Movement accompanied by its General Coordinator, Ahmed Maher, gathered on Saturday (May 11) in front of the Supreme Court in Cairo denouncing the Muslim Brotherhood's policies of detaining political activists.

    "Down, down with Guide dog's rule," some members of the group chanted.
    Egypt's public prosecutor ordered on Saturday the release of Maher, a prominent activist, who was detained at Cairo airport after flying from the United States over allegations of inciting a demonstration.
    Maher is a founder of the April 6 youth movement that used social media to help kindle the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. He was being investigated over a protest outside the interior minister's home in March.
    But critics said it is the latest example of Islamist-led authorities cracking down on dissidents since the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi was elected president last year.
    The state news agency listed the accusations against Maher as "resisting the authorities, insulting the police, gathering and obstructing traffic". The charge of "gathering" was frequently used in Mubarak's era to crush protests.

    "We have previously supported the Muslim Brotherhood when we thought they would have good intentions, but we very quickly found out that there is no such intention. The Muslim Brotherhood are pursuing the same corrupted and unsuccessful system of Mubarak," Maher told Reuters upon his release.
    The United States gives Egypt 1.3 billion USD in military aid each year and Washington cites arrest warrants against activists as "evidence of a disturbing trend of growing restrictions on the freedom of expression."
    Asked about Maher's arrest on Friday (May 10), State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the United States was seeking confirmation, but would express concern if it was true.
    Ventrell said Maher had been visiting the United States where he had met several senior State Department officials "as do many visiting activists and politicians from across the political spectrum in Egypt," Ventrell added.

    "The same administration uses the same policy, they even use the same laws and the same repression by arresting people, so I think we should hold our course and push for change," Maher added.
    Meanwhile, another prominent activist, Ahmed Douma, went on trial on Sunday (May 5) charged with insulting Mursi.
    In March, April 6 led a protest in front of the home of Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim demanding the release of activists arrested in a security crackdown.
    Four of the group's members were arrested after the demonstration.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register