Egypt’s popular footballer Mohamed Abou-Treika filed an appeal on Tuesday against a government committee decision to freeze his assets for allegedly having Muslim Brotherhood-links.
In his appeal, Abou-Treika cited that the decision, carried out by the committee assigned to seize the properties and finances of members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, was based on a verdict by a court that doesn’t have jurisdiction to rule on the issue.
Almost two weeks ago, the committee issued a statement saying it decided to confiscate the assets of Ashab Tours, a tourism company which was co-founded in 2013 by Abou-Treika and an unnamed member of the Brotherhood.
The committee said that the manager of that company, Anas Mohamed Omar El-Kady, is a member of the banned group. It added that El-Kadi, who is currently detained pending trial in Alexandria, is accused of committing "hostile acts against the state."
The committee charged that Ashab's funds were used to finance "terrorist attacks," arguing that the decision to confiscate the company's assets was based on a court ruling related to the trial of El-Kady.
Abou-Treika already filed a petition against the decision, which was turned down.
Upon hearing of the committee's initial decision against him, the popular footballer had vowed "to never leave Egypt."
The 36-year-old Abou-Treika retired from professional football in 2014 after leading Egypt’s most successful club Ahly to a host of domestic and continental victories, in addition to remarkable international feats.
The football star supported Mohamed Morsi during the 2012 election but has remained largely tight-lipped about his political allegiances since the ex-president's ouster in 2013.
Public and private media outlets, which opposed the Brotherhood's rule and attacked the group's refusal to recognise the post-Morsi government, have regularly accused Abou-Treika of affiliation with the banned group.
Abou-Treika has the legal right to challenge the committee's decision in court.
