(AFP File Photo)
Former president Mohamed Morsi is being held at a military facility “for his own security,” the armed forces said on Saturday.
Spokesman for the armed forces Colonel Ahmed Ali said that due to the current instability in the country, Morsi would be held for his own safety until the situation stabilises.
The United States echoed Germany’s call for Morsi’s release on Saturday.
Jen Psaki, spokesperson for the US State Department said on Friday that the US agrees that Morsi should be released. The public announcement came on the same day that German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called for Morsi’s release. Psaki stopped short of saying that the US would recognise Morsi as Egypt’s legitimate president, saying that it is the Egyptian people who will decide the future of Egypt.
Ali declined to respond directly to these calls, saying that it is a political issue and “the armed forces are not involved in political issues.” He added that this is an issue for the presidency to respond to.
Psaki also confirmed that US Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson met with interim President Adly Mansour. Psaki and the US embassy in Cairo had no further details about the meeting.
The foreign ministry responded to the statements from Germany on Friday evening, saying the Egypt is keen “on achieving national reconciliation and to involve all political forces and their different views without exclusion of any faction or movement.” The spokesperson stressed that no “extraordinary measures” would be taken outside of the law and added that if any action is taken it would be “under supervision of the general prosecution and in accordance with the rules applicable to law.”
The ministry’s statement made direct reference to the German statements, originally relayed by a spokesperson from the German ministry.
Freedom and Justice Party Spokesperson Tarek Al-Morsi said: “we are calling for Morsi to be reinstated because he is the legitimately elected president.” He stressed that the pro-Morsi camp “expects that the coup will be reversed soon.” Al-Morsi added that in the event of Morsi being reinstated, all those involved in ousting him could ask for amnesty and they would receive a presidential pardon.
