RESPONDING TO EGYPT'S CRACKDOWN ON THE MUSLIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001276

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL PHUM EG
SUBJECT: RESPONDING TO EGYPT'S CRACKDOWN ON THE MUSLIM
BROTHERHOOD

REF: CAIRO 1128

Classified By: Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The GOE has ratcheted up its campaign against the
Muslim Brotherhood (MB) by arresting two MB parliamentarians
on April 29. At least 300 members of the banned Islamist
organization have been detained since December, 40 of whom
(including the group's third-most senior leader) will face
military tribunals in early June, after having been already
twice acquitted by Cairo criminal courts. The arrest of the
two MPs (reportedly detained while holding a meeting with
other MB members in a private home) represents a threatening
shot across the bow of the MB,s 88-member parliamentary bloc
(Note: Legally, Egyptian parliamentarians enjoy immunity from
arrest, although this immunity has been suspended in the
controversial past arrests of opposition parliamentarians
Ayman Nour and Talaat Sadat. End note).


2. (C) Whether the GOE is cracking down on law-abiding
liberals or law-abiding Islamists, we face the same set of
challenges. Most immediately, the challenge is how to uphold
the principles of freedom and democracy in a manner that
positively influences Egyptians, puts the onus squarely on
the GOE, and deprives them of the opportunity to deflect
blame by changing the issue to one of American
"interference." Our task is, at a minimum, to avoid getting
in the way of healthy internal Egyptian debate, and as
possible, skillfully influence it.


3. (SBU) If constrained immediately to comment in this case,
we recommend the Department draw from the following themes:

-- We are concerned by reports of the arrest of two Egyptian
parliamentarians.

-- Arrests of duly elected lawmakers would appear to violate
the principles of rule of law that Egyptians hold dear.

(If pressed)

-- Our views are clear. The key question is: What does this
mean to Egyptians themselves, and their concepts of freedom
and democracy?

-- Likewise, what do Egyptians think, when their citizens are
acquitted by their civilian courts, and then put on trial
before a military tribunal?

-- When hundreds of Egyptian citizens are arrested and held
without trial for crimes of thought, what does this mean to
Egyptians? Do they think this strengthens their stability
and rule of law?
RICCIARDONE