Egypt: SCAF Summons Activists to Military Court

Esraa Abdel Fatah, a political activist and the head of the Egyptian Democratic Academy, reported that Egypt’s Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) summoned representatives for August 18 for interrogation.  The summoned representatives include staff members, Hossam Ali, Ahmed Ghoneim, Basem Samir and more.  According to Abdel Fatah, the subpoena did not specify why the representatives of the academy are under investigation, but she believes that it may be related to the academy’s recent complaint against General Hasan El-Roweiny, a member of the military council who recently accused several revolutionary activists of being “infiltrators with a foreign agenda.”

Activist Asmaa Mahfouz was released on a 20,000 Egyptian pound bail on Sunday and is now expected to face a military trial.  However, Mahfouz denied claims that she was referred to a military court despite reports by the official Middle East News Agency.  Activists have expressed anger and have condemned trying civilians in front of military courts.  Supporters of Mahfouz protested outside the military prosecutor’s office with signs that read “no for military trials” and chanted anti-SCAF slogans.  According to SCAF, Mahfouz “went over the limits of criticism to slander and incitement” and allegedly “called for the assassination of a SCAF member” on her personal Twitter and Facebook.

Alternatively, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party criticized U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s statements expressing concern that the Brotherhood would win a parliamentary majority in the upcoming elections.