Egypt's Interior Ministry Arrests Muslim Brotherhood Activists Over Spread Of Fake News

CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th July, 2020) Egyptian security forces have arrested six members of the Muslim Brotherhood (terrorist organization, banned both in Egypt and Russia) over production of videos containing fake news targeting the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Interior Ministry said in a press release on Thursday.

Arrests were conducted in the northern Egyptian port city of Alexandria, where, according to the press release, the radicals had rented a compartment turned into a video production studio.

"They planned to disseminate disinformation among citizens during the election period by compiling fake news and videos, which they planned to broadcast via loyal foreign-based satellite channels," the ministry said.

The cell of arrested agitators was "controlled directly by the [Muslim Brotherhood] movement leaders hiding in Turkey," as stated in the press release.

Egypt is scheduled to hold elections to its senate from August 11-12.

The Muslim Brotherhood had its candidate Mohamed Morsi come to power as president of Egypt in 2012, but overthrown and subsequently outlawed in just about a year as a result of a coup that was preceded by mass anti-government protests, known as the June 2013 Revolution.