Egypt: two businessmen released after two years of detention

Aerial view of Cairo.

© Andrew Shenouda/GettyImages

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The Egyptian authorities on Saturday January 21 released two billionaire businessmen.

They had been arrested two years ago and accused of being members of and funding the Brotherhood of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Charges that have not been dropped.

These releases were well received by Egyptian business circles of all persuasions.

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With our correspondent in Cairo

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The arrest of Safwan Thabet and his son Seif in December 2020 caused a stir in Egyptian business circles.

Circles where information circulated according to which the accusation of being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood was not the real reason for which the owners of Juhayna, the largest Egyptian producer of milk and fruit juice, had been arrested.

These circles indicated that the businessmen had been approached by senior service officials who had promised them that the proceedings against a sale of part of the company's shares would be dropped. 

Safwan Thabet's categorical refusal would have led to his arrest.

Business circles added that other pressures, for various reasons, had been brought to bear on other businessmen.

This created an atmosphere of suspicion that drove investors away from Egypt.

The release would have been made to reassure investors, but also the IMF.

"

 ," wrote Mariam, Safwan Thabet's daughter, who tweeted a photo.

ربي لك الحمد والشكر حتى ترضى pic.twitter.com/q3uELDjd5q

— Mariam Safwan Thabet (@mariamthabet) January 21, 2023

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