Pan-European Islamic body condemns unrest in Egypt

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) Friday expressed "deep alarm" over what it said is "the rapidly unfolding developments in Egypt. "The Egyptian peoples revolution on 25 January 2011 represented a spark of hope, and a decisive milestone in modern history for Egypt and the Arab world; it revitalized the aspirations for democratic change, transparent popular participation, and reform of political, economic, and social conditions, " it said in a statement. "However, the step taken by the army to take down the democratically elected president after only one year, suspending the constitution for which the people had voted only six months earlier, dissolving elected bodies, and halting Parliamentary elections, came as an extremely grave development," it noted. The Federation condemned "this assault on the democratic gains of the Egyptian people, and the associated measures of gagging free speech, threatening journalists, shutting down many television channels, mass arrests of those adhering to constitutional legitimacy, and threatening the peaceful protesters." The Brussels-based FIOE is an umbrella organisation for many Muslim bodies and organisations in Europe.