MB fugitives: What charges facing Assem Abdel Maguid?

CAIRO – 14 August 2019: Jama’a al-Islamiya leader Assem Abdel Maguid, is a Brotherhood preacher and a prominent member of the group’s Shura Council who is accused in multiple terror-related cases, in most of which he received death and life sentences.

Before Islamists strengthened their political presence in Egypt following the 25 January Revolution in 2011, Maguid was in prison over charges of assassinating late President Anwar Sadat, before he was released after the incidents.

Assem Abdel Maguid is one of the Brotherhood leaders’ fugitives, who continued to incite violence against the country, and spread false news about the economic stance from abroad. He fled to Qatar, like many other Brotherhood leaders, following the June 30 Uprising in 2013 that ousted late President Mohamed Morsi.

In the below lines Egypt Today displays information about cases in which he is involved:

1- Raba’a Dispersal Case:

On September 8, 2018, South Cairo Criminal Court ruled to sentence to death Assem Abdel Maguid, Safwat Hegazy, Mohamed el-Beltagy, Essam el-Erian, Abdel el-Rahman el-Bar, Tareq el-Zomar, Omar Zaki and 68 others out of 739 defendants in the case. The rest of the accused received rulings varied between life sentences and intensified prison terms (which vary between 10-15 years in prison).

The prosecution drawn a list of charges to the defendants including: orchestrating an armed gathering in Raba’a al-Adawiya Square [Currently re-named as Hisham Barakat Square], disrupting traffic, premeditated murder of citizens and police forces tasked with dispersing the gathering, and attempted murder.

2- Istiqamah Mosque incidents:

In August 30, 2014, Giza Criminal Court sentenced to death Assem Abdel Maguid and five other defendants in the case known in the media as “Istiqamah Mosque riot incidents” case. In the same case, former Brotherhood guide Mohamed Badie, and leader Mohamed el-Beltagy were sentenced to life in prison along with five others.

The defendants were charged with premeditated murder, joining an outlawed group to disrupt public peace and security, premeditated damage to public and private assets, and resisting forces.

3- El-Bahr el-Azam incidents:

On 15 September 2014, Giza Criminal Court sentenced Mohamed Badie and 14 Brotherhood leaders, including Maguid, to life in prison.

The prosecution drawn multiple charges against the defendants in the case, including gathering, attempted murder, show of strength, forming an armed gang to attack citizens and resist authorities, possession of unlicensed weapons and ammunition, and joining a terror group.

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Among the main charges drawn against Maguid are:

1- Spreading false news and inciting violence:

Assem Abdel Maguid is accused of inciting violent incidents that took place at Raba’a and Al-Nahda squares in August 2014. The law stipulated that inciters of violence should be punished by the same penalty of the doers, be the inciting in secrecy or in public.

2- Joining a terror group:

The crime applies to fugitives who are affiliated with the group, where the punishment could be intensive imprisonment as stipulated in Article 86 of the Egyptian penalty Code.