Ex-Egypt VP slams restrictions on Brotherhood leader

GENEVA (AA) - Former Egyptian Vice-President Mohamed ElBaradei has decried crippling restrictions imposed by the Egyptian authorities on jailed Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed el-Beltagy.

"I have never met with el-Baltagy in my life and I believe that I differ with him in many things, but I do not understand at all what is happening to him and other prisoners," ElBaradei said on Twitter.

ElBaradei said el-Beltagy and other Egyptian prisoners have been deprived of their "fundamental rights."

"This is not Egypt I know, nor Egypt which we want to see," he said.

His comments came shortly after el-Baradei's family called for providing urgent medical treatment to him after his health deteriorated in prison.

Anadolu Agency was unable to obtain comment from the Egyptian authorities regarding the family’s claims.

The authorities have consistently claimed that prison inmates are treated “in line with the law and the constitution”.

Following Egypt’s 2013 military coup, el-Beltagy -- who had earlier served as a member of Egypt’s parliament -- was slapped with multiple prison terms.

Egypt was roiled by turmoil when the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president and a Muslim Brotherhood leader.