Members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood are advised to not use religious slogans during campaigning for November elections, Cairo said.
Opposition parties in Egypt are considering a boycott of parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov. 29, though the Muslim Brotherhood has yet to weigh in on the matter.
Egyptian Interior Minister Habib al-Adly said authorities would intervene if the Muslim Brotherhood used religious slogans on campaign material, Egypt’s al-Masry al-Youm reports.
“If any (Muslim) Brotherhood candidate commits an act punishable by law or against campaign regulations, such as the use of religious or sectarian slogans, immediate action will be taken by the relevant authorities,” the minister said.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood took 20 percent of the seats in parliament by fielding its candidates as independents in 2005 elections. The interior minister said if they reverse course in November elections by running openly as Muslim Brotherhood candidates, authorities would take action.
“If any of them run as Muslim Brotherhood members, the law will be enforced,” he said. “They are a disbanded group that has been prohibited from engaging in any political activity.”
Cairo is facing pressure to ease some of the political restrictions imposed in the wake of the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. A 2008 measure prohibits using religious slogans for political gain.