The Egyptian prosecution froze the funds and assets of former presidential candidate and opposition figure Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh over his involvement in terrorist activities, the public prosecutor's office said in a statement on Sunday.

Aboul-Fotouh, the head of Strong Egypt Party, was arrested on Feb. 14 and was later enlisted by a criminal court, along with 15 other defendants, as terrorist.

His arrest came one day after his return from London where he gave interviews critical of the Egyptian government.

He also joined an opposition call in Egypt to boycott the 2018 presidential election scheduled for late March, where incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is expected to make an easy win due to the lack of strong challengers.

Held in custody pending investigation, the ex-presidential candidate is accused of having links with the currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the military in July 2013 in response to mass protests.

Aboul-Fotouh also faces charges of cooperating with blacklisted group members in exile to spread false news that would threaten the country's national interests, undermine the state institutions and harm national unity and social peace.

The politician was once a Brotherhood leading member, but he quit the group in 2011, following the ouster of veteran President Hosni Mubarak, and ran as an independent candidate in the 2012 presidential polls.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by Xinhua News Agency

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