Egyptian Shi’ite leaders denounce Egyptian security forces for abuse

Rasa – Egyptian Shi’ites have issued a statement in which they denounced the abuse of the Egyptian security services toward them, after they summoned a number of well-known Shi’ite leaders without reason.

News ID: 1270

Date: 30 September 2014 - 17:40

RNA – Egyptian Shi’ites have issued a statement in which they denounced the abuse of the Egyptian security services toward them, after they summoned a number of well-known Shi’ite leaders without reason. The actions reminded them of the attacks they faced by Takfiri extremists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood under former president Muhammad Morsi which included the martyrdom of Shi’ite cleric, Shaykh Hasan Shehata in June 2013. During the era of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, Shi’ites were often arrested for dubious reasons.

Morsi is reported to have said that Shi’ites are more dangerous to Islam than the Jews, while former Muslim Brotherhood leader and presidential candidate, Abdul-Mo’nim Abul-Fotouh, warned during his campaign that Shi’ism must not be allowed to enter Egypt.

The Egyptian Shi’ites stated that when current dictator Abdul-Fatah al-Sisi came to power they had put all of their hopes for an era characterized by freedom and the rights of its citizens. However, they stated, that it seems that some of the security forces want to abuse their authority as they place their personal interests before freedom and the rights of Egyptian citizens.

They confirmed that there are conspiracies hatched against Shi’ites by Salafists in collaboration with some of the security forces close to them, in order to crack down on Shi’ites, who’s numbers are estimated at being between 800,000 to 3 million.

Sayyid Taher al-Hashimi, a member of the Egyptian Shi’ite association World Assembly of Ahlul-Bayt (A), said that the persecution of Shi’ites is contrary to the Egyptian constitution. According to Sayyid al-Hashimi, the Egyptian authorities bear full responsibility for the protection of the country’s Shi’ite citizens from the attacks of Wahhabi extremists. Sayyid al-Hashimi said he was going to write a report to the Attorney General against all instigators of sedition and those who seek to destabilize Egypt’s national unity and its security and stability.

111/112