Egyptian military prosecutors have ordered the detention of Colonel Ahmed Konsowa for 15 days after he reportedly announced plans to run in the country’s 2018 presidential elections.

Col. Konsowa’s lawyer, Asaad Heikal said the military officer was detained on Friday on suspicion of a “behaviour that harms the requirements of the military” because he published a video that stated his political views.

According to Heikal, the 42-year-old Konsowa was detained in preventive custody pending when the prosecution concludes their investigation into his alleged stance in the video messages and a statement which was posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

“I proudly declare that I have decided to unlock the current political deadlock by running in the elections,” Col. Konkowa said in the statement.

Without mentioning the name of the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Konsowa criticized the government’s handling of human rights issues, its policies in health, education and the economy saying:

“Egypt cannot wait to join the developed world and to abide by human rights standards and global values of citizenship and transparency as well as the rule of law.”

Heikal further maintained that Col. Konsowa was still in the country’s armed forces and not a rebel, having declared his presidential ambitions by following in the footsteps of President al-Sisi’, who also had announced his candidacy wearing uniforms, but later resigned as Defence Minister.