Egypt: Prosecutor orders detention of 29 suspected spies Nov. 22

Event

On Wednesday, November 22, Egypt's public prosecutor ordered the arrest and detention of 29 people alleged to have spied for Turkey and joining and assisting the banned Muslim Brotherhood "with the aim of endangering the interests of the nation" and deposing the current regime, according to Egyptian state media. The suspects will reportedly be detained for 15 days, and also face charges of money laundering and illegal currency exchange; in addition to those detained, others within and outside the country are implicated on similar charges. Political protests, and consequent heightened security measures and transportation disruptions, are possible in Egypt in the coming days.

Context

Ties between the Turkish and Egyptian governments have been strained in recent years, following the June 2013 Egyptian uprising which deposed former President Mohamed Morsi. Egypt labeled the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization following the departure of Morsi - who was himself affiliated with the group - and has since waged a campaign to arrest, exile, and otherwise drive Muslim Brotherhood members underground. The Muslim Brotherhood allegedly has ties to Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and Egyptian members of the group have supposedly fled to Turkey since the beginning of the crackdown in 2013.

Advice

Individuals in Egypt are advised to avoid all protests and to monitor the situation.  Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (e.g. public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to northern Sinai, where the authorities maintain a media blackout and special security zones due to the persistent terrorist threat.