Family of Egypt’s jailed president issues appeal to UN

By Hussein Qabbani

CAIRO

The family of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s jailed former president, has called on the United Nations to intervene to prevent alleged violations of Morsi’s human rights by the Egyptian authorities.

Egypt’s first-ever freely elected president, Morsi was ousted and imprisoned by the Egyptian military during a military coup carried out in mid-2013.

"We call on free people worldwide and international rights organizations, including the UN, to investigate the rights violations to which President Morsi is being subjected," the family said in a statement.

The family issued the statement on Sunday, one day after Morsi’s youngest son, Abdullah, said the authorities had denied his request -- for the second time in two weeks -- to visit his imprisoned father.

Family members say they have been prevented from visiting Morsi in prison since late 2013.

"Since then, the authorities have turned down all our requests to visit the president," the statement read.

There has been no comment by the Egyptian authorities on the family’s assertions.

Morsi is currently serving out three lengthy jail terms for allegedly "killing protesters" and "spying" for Qatar.

He also continues to face charges of "insulting Egypt’s judiciary".

Like his co-defendants, Morsi maintains that all the charges against him are politically motivated.