State confiscates medical charity associations for alleged Brotherhood affiliation

A committee established to assess the funds of the banned Muslim Brotherhood ordered on Wednesday the confiscation of two medical charity associations for their alleged affiliation to the group.
 
An urgent matters court ordered the confiscation of the Muslim Brotherhood’s capital and dissolving any organisations affiliated with it in September 2013, establishing the said committee to oversee the ruling's implementation.
 
The committee ordered the confiscation of all the assets of the Islamic Medical Association and its 28 branches nationwide and the Rabaa al-Adawiya medical association, it announced in a statement.
 
It also sacked the associations' boards of directors and appointed new boards, headed by former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa.
 
The committee noted in its statement that the new boards will not "cause any harm to the association's employees." It added that it will continue to provide patients with health services "of the same, if not of better, efficiency."
 
Established in 1977, the Islamic Medical Association has 30 hospitals, almost 2000 doctors and over 3000 nurses and employees, according to its official website. The association says it treats over two million patients annually.
 
The committee established to assess the funds of the Brotherhood has confiscated the assets of hundreds of the group's members. It has also seized the organisation's headquarters nationwide, as well as the headquarters of its Freedom and Justice Party.
 
Egypt's administrative court has revoked decisions issued by the committee more than once, citing the criminal court's exclusive jurisdiction over assets' seizure, and consequently the committee's lack of jurisdiction.
 
On December 16, a court overturned the committee's decision to seize the assets of 17 Brotherhood leaders.
 
Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the stringent wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. The Brotherhood continuously denies the accusations, distancing itself from one militant attack after the other.