Muslim Brothers freed

2002-08-21 00:38

Cairo - A judge from Egypt's state security court ordered on Tuesday the release of 35 members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood held without trial for 16 months, court sources said.

Mr Justice Assim Abdel Hamid Nasr made his decision at a hearing to renew the detention of 35 of the movement's members arrested in March 2001 in the southern Egyptian region of Assiut, but never charged, the sources said.

The 35 however remained in prison as of late Tuesday, the sources said.

The most prominent member of the group is doctor Mohammed al-Sayed Habib, who was accused of "reviving" the banned Islamist organisation.

The Muslim Brotherhood calls for the establishment of an Islamic state, but rejects the use of violence.

Some of its activities are tolerated and 17 "independent" candidates backed by the Muslim Brotherhood won seats in Egypt's 454-member parliament in 2000. However, their support on the streets is generally thought to be higher.

On July 30, 16 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced by a military court to between three and five years in jail for trying to revive the movement in order to seize power. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA