Egypt: Ban of Brotherhood Event

The Egyptian government has banned the Muslim Brotherhood's largest annual social gathering for the first time in 20 years, part of a concerted crackdown against the country's opposition, the group's leadership said Sunday.

Every year, the Brotherhood invites a diverse group of some 1,500 people to one of Cairo's five-star hotels for a gala dinner during Ramadan, the monthlong period when many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

The Brotherhood, which was officially banned in 1954, is Egypt's largest opposition group. Its lawmakers, who run as independents, hold more than a fifth of the seats in the 454-member lower house of the parliament.

The ban of the banquet comes at a time of rising tension between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's government and those who question its leadership. Authorities have imprisoned hundreds of Brotherhood members in recent months and have begun a crackdown against dissenting voices within the media.

Analysts say the government's moves have been driven by uncertainty over who will become president after Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for more than a quarter century but has no designated successor. Many in Egypt believe Mubarak's 43-year-old son Gamal is being groomed for the position, a prospect that has raised widespread opposition. "The escalation against the Brotherhood and the press reflects high volatility in the political scene due to a struggle within the institution over the transfer of power," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian analyst with the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The government has also targeted organizations unrelated to the transfer of power. Earlier Tuesday, authorities closed the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid, which had been involved in the first lawsuit against a state security officer for torture.