Egypt's former anti-graft chief taken to military prosecutor, family says

CAIRO - Egyptian police took a former anti-corruption chief to the military prosecutor's office on Tuesday, his family said, detaining a prominent figure who helped run the election campaign of a challenger to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Hisham Genena's daughter Nada Genena told Reuters by phone that up to 30 policemen came to the family home in a Cairo suburb early in the day and took her father away by car.

His wife, Wafaa Kedieh, said he was taken to the military prosecutors. There was no word on Genena's situation and the reason for his detention was not immediately clear.

An Interior Ministry official said he had no knowledge of the incident.

The detention came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, during a visit to Egypt, called for free and fair election.

Amnesty International slammed Genena's detention.

"The arbitrary arrest of Hisham Genena and his referral to the Office of the Military Prosecution show a blatant disregard for the rights to freedom of expression and the right to public participation," Amnesty International's North Africa branch said in a message on Twitter.

Genena had run the short-lived election campaign of former military chief of staff Sami Anan, who was detained last month and accused by the army of running for office without permission, bringing his presidential bid to a halt. Egypt holds its election at the end of March.

The military in a statement late on Monday said it would pursue all "legal measures" against anyone who tried to harm Egypt's national security.

The statement appeared to refer to an interview Genena gave to the HuffPost Arabi news website, in which he said Anan possessed documents that were damning for senior Egyptian officials, without giving details.

INJURIES

It was not immediately clear if Tuesday's incident was linked to the military statement, however. The military was not immediately available for comment.

Anan's lawyer criticized Genena, writing on his Facebook page that statements Genena had made were "completely untrue", without specifying which statements he was referring to.

"We will take all necessary legal measures against anyone who makes media statements on Anan's words and actions which harm his legal position," the lawyer Nasser Amin wrote.

Genena was beaten up last month shortly after the detention of Anan, and he accused the government of being behind his assault. His alleged assailants said his injuries were the result of a fight after a car accident

All main challengers to Sisi, who is seeking a second term in the March 26-28 vote, have pulled out of the race, citing intimidation of their supporters and other tactics designed to give the incumbent an easy win.

Egypt says the 2018 presidential election will be free and fair. — Reuters