Egyptian authorities on Thursday detained 45 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, bringing to 124 the number of activists detained since the start of the week, a security source said.
The men were arrested around the country for using religious slogans as part of their campaign ahead of the upcoming elections for parliament's upper house.
Brotherhood spokesman Issam al-Aryan told AFP that 646 members have been detained during a two-week clampdown and remain in detention. "The government is using unfair means to eliminate candidates" ahead of the vote, Aryan was quoted as saying.
On Monday, 12 members of the movement were detained for hanging posters bearing religious messages, including the Brotherhood slogan "Islam is the solution."
