Egyptian circles await the release of opponents in exchange for their pledge to quit politics

In an event that may be the first of its kind, an Egyptian website published an article by the son of a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood calling on the authorities to release his father and the other detainees to live his life among his family away from politics, at a time when Egyptian politicians and human rights activists expressed their optimism about a government review of the situation Detainees in light of news of interviews conducted by security leaders inside prisons.

The move coincided with unofficial promises from some close to decision-makers to release some detainees and improve the conditions of the rest in detention, in exchange for the release of those released to abstain from engaging in political activity.

Human rights activist Abdullah al-Haddad, son of Essam al-Haddad, aide to former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, wrote an article on the Mada Masr website titled: “About the prisoner’s father. Between a person like my father spending the rest of his life among his family and grandchildren who were deprived of him because of the years of imprisonment, or sitting alone in a solitary cell in which he spends the rest of his life.”

healing

He added, "During the previous period, many messages from detainees in Egyptian prisons were leaked, calling for a pardon and release from prisons in exchange for a complete withdrawal from public life, with a pledge not to engage in politics from near or far."

He said, "These messages could have expanded their circles if communication was allowed between political detainees and each other inside different prisons, and although this is an unprecedented step and could be the seed of reform and healing of societal wounds, it did not receive sufficient attention from the Egyptian authorities. It seems Whoever believes that the status quo can be maintained by using repressive means is the loudest voice in internal debates.

Doing politics for the likes of my father is "impossible"

In his article in Mada Masr, Al-Haddad presented his reading of the Egyptian transformations, and said, "It seems that there is a truth absent from these loud voices, which is that the energies of hope, enthusiasm and the desire for change witnessed by the Arab Spring, which was the reason for Morsi's accession to power, have completely dissipated, and Egypt has taken a different path. Since President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi took power seven years ago,

He continued, "The political practice for those like my father has become a kind of activity that is impossible to reproduce in the same ways and means that occurred more than ten years ago. It is not fair that the painful historical human files remain open and captivated by the political square that has become part of the past. Especially since my father He did not and will not pose any threat to his country, Egypt, or to anyone in any way."

And he added, "Many may see that my father is a relic of a bygone political era, whose owners will be left in Egyptian prisons amid an endless cycle of trials, solitary confinement and medical neglect, but for me he is my father, the grandfather of my children, who cares for everyone throughout his life, and this is what prompted him in the first place. The first to become a doctor, and then pushed him as an Egyptian student studying in England to establish the largest Islamic charitable organization in the world, aiming to serve and save the lives of people around the world.This was the beginning of his real start to serve his country after that and work in public affairs.These are the aspects that are overlooked The headlines and political reports that describe the vicissitudes of politics ignore it!

Noting the regional transformations, Al-Haddad wrote, "There is no doubt that the changes in the Egyptian internal politics cast a shadow on the geopolitical role that our country can play in our turbulent region. Although the detainees in Egypt since 2013 have become forgotten, they are a key factor in the dynamics of regional politics. ".

He concluded, "If Egypt decides to transcend the difficult period of repression that we are living in, it will be able to restore its influence and enhance its regional and global standing, which will lead to greater cooperation and success in dealing with many issues facing the country."

Why publish in an Egyptian newspaper?!

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Al-Haddad confirmed that he was keen to issue the article from an Egyptian website or newspaper in order to avoid any misunderstanding related to links to any agendas or external pressures.

He added that he might write other articles in Egyptian newspapers, "because the resolution of the detainees' file will not happen except by political decisions issued from inside Egypt."

He pointed out that he had seen signs suggesting that there was a desire for progress in this file and its mobilization by the Egyptian leadership, and the efforts of former MP Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat, which he described as favorable and encouraging.

 He added, "But it is clear that it is within a limited scope, and we, the families of the detainees, must work to expand these efforts to include the rest of the political detainees, such as my father and brother, and result in bold decisions on which the release of the detainees is based."