Egyptian court confirms death sentences for 183 protesters By Tazeen Hasan on February 2, 2015

Egyptian court confirms death sentences for 183 protesters

By Tazeen Hasan on February 2, 2015

An Egyptian court on Monday upheld death sentences for 183 supporters of the outlawed Muslim brotherhood

CAIRO – An Egyptian court on Monday Confirmed death sentences for 183 supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood convicted of killing 13 people including police officers in the town of Kardasa in August 2013, during upheaval that followed the army’s toppling of elected president Morsi. One child defendant got ten years in prison and 35 were given the sentence in absentia. Earlier in April Last year, a Kangaroo court passed down 683 death sentences in one trial lasting for a couple of hours.

The initial verdict was announced in December 2014 and was sent to the Grand Mufti for ratification. The Mufti issued the statement Confirming the death sentences.

The attack on the police station which killed the 11 policemen took place on the same day security forces violently dismantled two massive protest camps supporting Morsi in Cairo, killing hundreds of protesters in clashes.

Since the army toppled Morsi on July 3, 2013, at least 1500 people have been killed in police crackdowns on protests, mostly Islamists supporting the ousted leader.

In total, thousands of Brotherhood supporters have been arrested and put on mass trials in a campaign which human rights groups say shows the government is systematically repressing opponents belonging to Muslim brotherhood because the military dictator perceive it as a major threat to its autocratic rule.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who as army chief toppled elected president Morsi, describes the Brotherhood as a major security threat.

In a statement after the verdict Amnesty International representative Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said the court’s decision was “outrageous” and “an example of the bias of the Egyptian criminal justice system”.

The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance issues a statement urging the men and women of the Egyptian Revolution to rise against the murderers of Egypt youths in a ‘Down with the rule of murderers” week of non-violation.

The Muslim brotherhood denies any charges of violence and says it is committed to peaceful activism. “The non-violent Revolutionary resistance is growing every day and is now compelling the world to reassess the Egyptian Revolution. We reaffirm that there is no place for the military in State administration, and that one of the strategic goals of the Revolution is to restore the army to its sacred real role of protecting national borders and to keep the army away from political life,” says Mohamed Montasser, Muslim brotherhood official spokesman.

The recent verdict was the third mass death sentence of 2014 and was roundly condemned by human rights groups. “Mass death sentences are fast losing Egypt’s judiciary whatever reputation for independence it once had,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch.

“Instead of weighing the evidence against each person, judges are convicting defendants en masse without regard for fair trial standards,” she added.

Human right organisation have also condemned United states role in supporting the violent extremism of its dictatorial allies in the MiddleEast. “Several US allies in the fight against ISIS use the threat of terrorism to deny basic rights and freedom to their people and regularly target those who peacefully dissent, creating a climate in which violent extremism, instability and regional insecurity grows,” says Human rights first website.

In order to protect the long-term U.S. INTERESTS of security and stability in the MiddleEast, U.S. policy to confront violent extremism must prioritize urging allies such as Egypt, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to turn away from repression and denying the basic rights and freedoms of their own people,” said Human Rights First’s Neil Hicks.

– Tazeen Hasan, Correspondent (Africa)

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