The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights asked the Interior Ministry to immediately release the blogger, Reda Abdelrahman, who had been arrested last Monday because of his Quranist’s religious views. The Initiative mentioned as well that the detainee was deprived from food, while The International Quranic Center [IQC] described the arrest as “a continuing policy of harassing intimidating, persecuting Quranists in Egypt.” Moreover, the center said that it “will not be silenced by this policy of the Egyptian regime, namely taking innocents as hostages to stop peaceful reformers from continuing their journey.”

The Press release also mentioned that it has been informed that Reda was questioned at least twice, and that the questions were always about his Quranists’ views: believing that only the Quran is the main source for Fiqeh.

The Initiative lawyers complained to the D.A, asking to force the Interior Ministry to “declare the whereabouts of the arrested and allowing him to contact his lawyers, family members, and inform him with what he is accused for.” Adel Ramadan, the legal affairs director of the Initiative added that the complaint also included an investigation about whether there was a decision to arrest Reda or not, indicating that this is the first arrest of Quranists since releasing five of them on October, 5th, 2007.

On Monday Morning, October, 27th, 2008, a state security force came to Abu-Hariez village in Sharkia district, where Dr. Mansour's extended family resides. They arrested Mr. Reda Abdelrahman Ali, a relative of Dr. Mansour who is an Islamic reformer who has a blog, called Justice, Freedom, and Peace. He also teaches at Al-Azhar schools and publishes his articles and researches on many online websites, including them Ahl-Aquran website, the voice of the International Quranic Center. In June, 2008, Reda mentioned on his blog that he was called in for investigations by the Legal Affairs Investigations in Alazhar [where he works], where he was pressured to sign documents promising not “publish any articles or religious writings online.”

On the other hand, The International Quranic Center [IQC] described the arrest as “a continuing policy of harassing intimidating, persecuting Quranists in Egypt, especially those who are related to Dr. Mansour.” Moreover, the center “will not be silenced by this policy of the Egyptian regime, namely taking innocents as hostages to stop peaceful reformers from continuing their journey.”