Egypt activist says Brotherhood leaders 'incited violence' against her

Ahram Online, Wednesday 10 Apr 2013

Female activist slapped across face during last month's clashes outside Muslim Brotherhood HQ claims group leaders ordered 'their men' to physically, sexually assault her

Mervat Moussa, political activist and member of Egypt's Popular Current movement, has accused Muslim Brotherhood second-in-command Khairat El-Shater and leading Brotherhood figure Mahmoud Ghozlan of "inciting violence" against her.

While giving testimony on Wednesday at the public prosecutor's office in Cairo's Moqattam district – where the Brotherhood's headquarters is situated – Moussa alleged that El-Shater and Ghozlan had ordered "their men" to verbally, physically and sexually assault her.

During last month's clashes outside the Brotherhood's headquarters, the veiled activist was knocked down by a slap across the face by a Brotherhood member, who was also caught on video beating up opposition activist Ahmed Doma.

Video footage, which caused uproar on social-media networks, showed Moussa arguing with the Brotherhood member beating Doma, only to be slapped across the face by the latter.

Clashes erupted on 17 March after a group of activists staged protests against what they describe as 'Brotherhood rule,' alleging that the Islamist group – rather than President Mohamed Morsi – represented Egypt's de facto ruler.

Clashes erupted again on 22 March, when anti-Brotherhood protesters clashed with the group's supporters, leading to serious injuries on both sides.

Shortly afterward, Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan condemned the violence by both sides, but asserted that protesters had insulted the group and its members.

Gehad Haddad, another Brotherhood spokesman, told CNN on 18 March that Moussa had been seen throwing rocks at brotherhood members.

On 25 March, Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah ordered three of El-Shater's guards to be questioned over allegations that they had assaulted journalists and activists.

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