Tamarod says members suspended for ‘violating agreement’

Tamarod denied reports that it suspended three of its members for endorsing presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi, instead saying that they were suspended for “violating the movement’s agreement to endorse Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,” Mostafa al-Seweisy, member of Tamarod’s central committee, told Mada Masr.

Late Saturday, Tamarod announced on its official website that it suspended the membership of Hassan Shahin, Mohamed Abdel Aziz and Khaled al-Kady, until the movement’s executive and administrative offices review “the violations committed by the members that aim at tarnishing the movement’s reputation.”

Seweisy maintained that the movement’s members are free to support whomever they see suitable to lead the country.

“However, these members agreed in front of the movement’s executive offices in all of the governorates that we are endorsing Sisi,” he said, “we were then surprised to find them endorsing Sabbahi.”

Seweisy explained that these members act as spokespeople for the movement, so their statements might have wrongfully given the impression that Tamarod supports Sabbahi rather than Sisi.

He maintained that this is a “strictly organizational decision.”

On Sunday, the movement also announced it suspended the membership of Moustafa Abdel Malek in Assiut for violating the movement’s agreement and endorsing Sabbahi.

On Saturday night, Sabbahi officially announced that he is running for president.

Last December, Tamarod announced its support for Sisi should he choose to nominate himself for president. The movement had gained popular support last year when it started collecting millions of signatures to demand the resignation of former President Mohamed Morsi.