Emiratis Arrest Egyptian Presidential Candidate Ahmed Shafik, Lawyer Says
2, 2017
CAIRO — The United Arab Emirates arrested an Egyptian presidential candidate to deport him to Egypt, his lawyer said Saturday.
Mr. Shafik, a former Air Force general and a former prime minister, has lived in the United
Arab Emirates since he narrowly lost Egypt’s only free presidential election, in 2012.
The move against Ahmed Shafik is the strongest indication yet of the length
that the United Arab Emirates is willing to go in order to protect President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt from any real challenge in his expected campaign for re-election next spring.
In a leaked recording of a telephone call, Mr. Shafik said he would not run
because the vote would be "a farce." "I know very well they will fix all the ballot boxes," he said.
He had said in recent days that he intended to run again but the United Arab Emirates had blocked him from travel.
Emirati said that We are just worried because, you know, nothing is guaranteed.