52 arrested across Egypt during anti-government protests
Dozens of supporters of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement and Anti-Coup Alliance have been arrested during fresh anti-government protest rallies across the country, Press TV reports.
The demonstrations took place on Friday and covered several provinces across the North African country, including the capital city, Cairo.
During the rallies, protesters chanted slogans against Egypt’s military-backed government.
According to Press TV, some 52 Brotherhood supporters were taken into custody during the protests.
The demonstrations were held in adherence to a call by the Muslim Brotherhood, which leads the Anti-Coup Alliance.
The alliance consists of 40 other political parties who view the current government of Egypt as illegitimate.
The participants in the gatherings also slammed Israel’s recent attack on the on al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
On July 26, Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa compound and closed its gates after the clashes erupted between Palestinian worshipers and Israelis.
The Brotherhood released an official statement on Thursday, saying that “Egyptians and Palestinians are suffering from the same wounds.”
“While our Palestinian brothers are suffering from a direct Zionist occupation, we in Egypt are suffering from a military occupation that is serving the interests of the Zionists in order to stay in power,” the message added.
The Brotherhood was referring to the military-backed government of former army chief and now President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, who led the overthrow of the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, over two years ago.
The statement also described Sisi’s government as a “bloody coup regime,” saying Morsi is the “legitimate president” of Egypt.
Since Morsi’s ouster in 2013, the authorities in Cairo have launched a heavy-handed crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters and members, drawing sharp criticism from many prominent human rights bodies.
The crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters has left over 1,400 people dead and 22,000 arrested, while hundreds have been sentenced to death in mass trials, according to human rights bodies.
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