FILE- Muslim Brotherhood businessman Hassan Malek.
CAIRO - 23 September 2018: Egypt’s Court of Cassation upheld on Saturday a court ruling putting prominent Muslim Brotherhood leader and businessman Hassan Malek and 55 other MB members on the list of terrorist entities.
On August 30, 2018, Cairo Criminal Court put the MB members on the terrorist list over accusations of damaging the Egyptian economy by smuggling foreign currencies and financially supporting terrorist groups.
In 2015, the attorney general had referred Malek and other defendants to the Emergency Court after he was arrested by security forces. Several members of Malek’s family were also added to the terror list endorsed by Cairo Criminal Court in December 2017.
The defendant was born into a Muslim Brotherhood family, but he does not view himself as a leader in the Islamist group, according to Malek's statements during his interrogation by the prosecution. However, in 2006, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for being a leader of the group, which organized a militant-style demonstration at Al-Azhar University at the time.
He was pardoned, along with famous Brotherhood leader and businessman Khairat al-Shater in March 2011 by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces.
The businessman’s work was versatile, but mainly revolved around manufacturing/selling conservative attire for women and computers. He is also a business partner of Shater, who intended to run for president in 2012 but was legally excluded due to his 2006 conviction.
Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group in 2014.
Additional reporting by Walaa Ali
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