Media Reports: Morsi Refused Royal Offer to Leave Egypt

The family of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi confirmed that they do not know exactly where he is being held. They also revealed that he is under pressure despite being detained for five years since the events of 3 July, 2013, to force him to “declare recognition of the legitimacy of the existing regime” and “renounce his legitimacy,” according to his family’s statements.

Middle East Monitor cited Abdullah, the son of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi, saying that his father is still holding on to his legitimacy as an elected president. He is also still refusing to surrender to the will of leaders who try from time to time to force him to submit to their dictates.

Morsi’s son added that there are continuous attempts to subjugate his father and force him to recognize the current regime. They have reached the extent of an offer by a king who met him and arranged for him and his family to live outside Egypt, which he defiantly rejected. He pointed out that his father’s insistence on rejecting the current regime necessarily reflects his rejection of all its undertaken measures during this phase.

In fact, there is almost no clear information about the ousted president’s health. Abdullah expects that he could be detained in one of the Tora Prison annexes -known as the notorious Scorpion prison-where he met some of his family members for the second time.

Myriad reports have highlighted the cruel and degrading punishments carried out within its walls. A former warden interviewed by Human Rights Watch in 2012 said.”It was designed so that those who go in don’t come out again, unless dead. It was designed for political prisoners.”

Abdullah also confirmed that his family has been able to meet him only twice since his arrest. The first time was in November 2013 in Borg El-Arab prison, and the second was in June 2017 in the Tora Prison annex after the security’s clear stipulation that “men are not allowed to visit.”

He pointed out that during the visits they were accompanied by security representatives and each of them did not last for more than half an hour.

He also revealed that his father is not allowed to interact with his family even regarding important family events. This includes banning him from seeing his grandchildren and preventing him from receiving condolences following the death of his mother-in-law.

Court of Appeal Counsellor and former Minister of Justice during the rule of Morsi, Ahmad Suleiman, said that Morsi had been subjected to temptations and pressures in return for his declaration of withdrawal. However, he refused to “Let go of Egypt’s present and future to those who plan to destroy it and humiliate its people.”

President Morsi was overthrown by Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi in a military coup in June 2013.

After the coup, the military authorities launched massive attacks against Morsi’s supporters, and the leaders and members of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered the major political opposition force that has been peacefully resisting Al-Sisi’s military coup.

The Egyptian security forces have arrested thousands of Muslim Brotherhood leaders and members, including President Morsi, and sentenced them to life in prison or death in mass trials carried by the Egyptian judicial system -one of the military coup arms.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International criticized the verdicts against Morsi and described it as “politically motivated.”. Rights groups have also called attention to the prison abuse in Egypt’s detention system. Morsi himself has in the past abstained from eating prison food, out of fear for his life.