Egyptian authorities have arrested 52 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, a security source said Saturday. "Fifty-two supporters of Muslim Brotherhood candidates in the elections have been arrested between Friday and Saturday in five provinces," the source told AFP.
"They were caught hanging up posters with Islamic messages, which is unconstitutional," the source said.
Supporters for candidates running in the June 11 elections for the Shura Council were detained when hanging up posters and handing out leaflets which read "Islam is the solution", the Brotherhood's slogan, the source conveyed.
According to a report by Human Rights Watch citing lawyers for the Brotherhood, 87 members were detained between May 12 and May 19. Sixty-four came from districts where the group is fielding candidates. "In the week that Egypt boasted about its election to the UN Human Rights Council, it was arresting scores of people solely for exercising their right to free association and free speech," said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East division.
