Security forces in Egypt have detained more than 1,000 activists of a major Opposition group ahead of the country's upcoming legislative elections, Opposition parties and local news reports said on Monday.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the main Opposition group in Egypt, said that hundreds of its activists were arrested in a nation-wide crackdown by the security forces on Friday and Saturday.
The development comes days after supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood clashed with riot police in several Egyptian cities while campaigning for the the November 28 legislative elections. The Egyptian government is yet to confirm the arrests.
Earlier, the government had accused the Muslim Brotherhood of violating the law by using religious slogans. The Opposition group retaliated by accusing the government of electoral fraud even before the elections.
Though the Muslim Brotherhood is banned from contesting the elections, it has emerged as the country's main Opposition after many of its members were elected to the Parliament in the previous election as independent candidates.
The Muslim Brotherhood had won 88 Parliament seats in the 2005 elections, accounting for almost a fifth of the total number of seats. This is in comparison to the 34 seats won by candidates representing all other Opposition parties.
The Opposition group is fielding independent candidates in a third of the 508 Parliament seats up for grab despite calls by other major Opposition parties and allies to boycott the polls.
President Hosni Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) is expected to win a majority in the elections, the results of which are widely expected to influence the outcome of next year's presidential elections.
Mubarak has not yet indicated whether he would seek a sixth term in office in the 2011 presidential elections. The 81-year-old has been ruling Egypt since October 1981, making him one of the Arab world's longest serving leaders.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.