Court rules MB members cannot run for president

The Alexandria Primary Court ruled against members of the Muslim Brotherhood nominating themselves in the presidential elections, the state-run Al-Ahram portal reported on Tuesday.

The court ordered the High Elections Commission to decline requests for members of the Muslim Brotherhood to nominate themselves in the presidential elections.

Tarek Mahmoud, who raised the case, argued that members of the group cannot nominate themselves for the presidency since the Brotherhood was labeled a terrorist organization by the government and its activities have since been halted. 

The case is also concerned with banning Brotherhood members from running in parliamentary elections. 

Those affected by the ruling include current members of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as defectors and Islamists who have a record of having collaborated with the Brotherhood without having been a member of the group.

The court decision took place as another court set a hearing for the case against Muslim Brotherhood leaders who were formerly elected to leading positions such as former President Mohamed Morsi. 

The case by the Cairo Criminal Court against Morsi and other members of the group accuses them of prison escape and attacks on police during the January 25 revolution.