‘I’ve been kidnapped forcibly’ before announcement of removal – Morsi

10 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 568 Views

Deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said on Wednesday he was kidnapped by the Republican Guard the day before the army announced his removal and was later held at a naval base for four months.

Lawyer Mohamed Damati read on television what he said was a letter from the Islamist leader, who is still being detained, to the Egyptian people.

For the first time, Morsi indicated that he was held against his will as early as July 2, a day before the army announced his removal following mass protests against his rule.

 “The kind Egyptian people should know that I have been kidnapped forcibly and against my will since July 2 and until July 5 in a Republican Guard house until I and my aide were moved again forcibly to a naval base belonging to the armed forces for four full months,” Morsi was quoted as saying.

The letter marked the first time outside the courtroom that authorities allowed Morsi, who accuses the army of staging a coup, to tell his side of the story.

“Egypt will not recover until everything that happened due to this coup goes away…and the holding to account those who spilled blood everywhere on the nation’s land,” Morsi said.

“I salute the Egyptian people who rose up against this coup, which will fall by the power of the Egyptian people in their jihad for the sake of their rights and freedoms.”

Morsi said that while in detention, he had only met with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, an EU delegation and four prosecutors whose questions he refused to answer.

“What happened is a military coup and for there to be stability and reconciliation in Egypt, the people of Egypt need to take a stand and that this coup is treason and a crime,” Morsi said.

The Republican Guard is an elite military unit which protects the presidential palace and other government sites.

Morsi and other Islamists appeared in court on November 4 on charges of inciting violence in connection with the death of about a dozen protesters at the presidential palace in December. Most were members of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.

Damati said Morsi still refused to recognise the court which is trying him at a police academy – the same site where Mubarak is on trial on similar charges. see more

source: voice of russia

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