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| Hundreds of Egyptians Sentenced to Death in Killing of a Police Officer | Hundreds of Egyptians Sentenced to Death in Killing of a Police Officer |
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| MINYA, Egypt — A crowd gathered outside a courthouse in the town of Matay erupted in wailing and rage on Monday when a judge sentenced 529 defendants to death in just the second session of their trial, convicting them of murdering a police officer in anger at the ouster of the Islamist president. Here in the provincial capital just a few miles away, schools shut down early, and many stayed indoors fearing a riot, residents said. | |
| But the crowds went home, and soon the streets were quiet. | |
| After nine months of escalating repression that culminated in the extraordinary verdict, the military-led government that removed President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood appears to have finally cowed his supporters into near-silence here in Minya, perhaps their greatest stronghold. The city was the heart of a fierce Islamist insurgency just two decades ago, and threatened to rise up again, against the new government. | |
| “They want to scare us so we don’t go out into the streets against them, to show us that could be the justification for another death sentence,” said Mohamed Hafez, whose brother was among those sentenced to death. So rather than give them the pretext, he said, the families consoled themselves that mass sentence was in some ways “a good thing,” because it showed that the trial itself was “a farce” and “illegitimate.” | “They want to scare us so we don’t go out into the streets against them, to show us that could be the justification for another death sentence,” said Mohamed Hafez, whose brother was among those sentenced to death. So rather than give them the pretext, he said, the families consoled themselves that mass sentence was in some ways “a good thing,” because it showed that the trial itself was “a farce” and “illegitimate.” |
| Legal experts called it the harshest mass conviction in modern Egyptian history, arguing that it disregarded legal procedures, defied plausibility and stood little chance of surviving appeals. A three-judge panel reached its verdict after two sessions of less than an hour each, and about 400 of those convicted were sentenced in absentia. The Egyptian state news media described the defendants as supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, and they were convicted of participating in rioting last August, set off by the bloody crackdown that followed Mr. Morsi’s ouster in July. | |
| But many Islamists said on Monday that they were afraid to speak out or demonstrate against the ruling, often looking over their shoulders anxiously when approached by a reporter. | But many Islamists said on Monday that they were afraid to speak out or demonstrate against the ruling, often looking over their shoulders anxiously when approached by a reporter. |
| It was a stark contrast to the open defiance that prevailed here last fall even after the new government had established firm control of the capital, a three-hour drive to the north. The change was the clearest evidence yet of how far the new government has succeeded in breaking the Islamist networks that just a year ago had appeared to form a durable electoral majority. | It was a stark contrast to the open defiance that prevailed here last fall even after the new government had established firm control of the capital, a three-hour drive to the north. The change was the clearest evidence yet of how far the new government has succeeded in breaking the Islamist networks that just a year ago had appeared to form a durable electoral majority. |
| After nightfall in Minya, a crowd chanting against military rule and the day’s verdict marched through the streets of the Abu Hilal neighborhood, where Islamist groups are particularly strong, and several said that there had been protests earlier in the day at the university. | |
| But the crowd of a few hundred was noticeably smaller and more timid than seen in marches in the same streets just a few months ago. And even bystanders repeatedly warned visiting journalists to flee saying police gunfire was imminent. (There was no need: The march broke up voluntarily after scouts on motorcycles reported that the police were coming.) | But the crowd of a few hundred was noticeably smaller and more timid than seen in marches in the same streets just a few months ago. And even bystanders repeatedly warned visiting journalists to flee saying police gunfire was imminent. (There was no need: The march broke up voluntarily after scouts on motorcycles reported that the police were coming.) |
| “Fear, fear,” said Hussein Tammam, a lawyer for some of those convicted. “Things have changed 180 degrees since last fall,” he said. “The security grip has tightened so much that it is worse than it was in the 1990s,” when the security forces crushed the militant insurgency centered in Minya. | “Fear, fear,” said Hussein Tammam, a lawyer for some of those convicted. “Things have changed 180 degrees since last fall,” he said. “The security grip has tightened so much that it is worse than it was in the 1990s,” when the security forces crushed the militant insurgency centered in Minya. |
| Rights activists said the ruling also signaled a new peak in the enthusiastic support that Egyptian judges at all levels have shown for the military takeover. | |
| “We have never heard of anything of this magnitude before — inside or outside of Egypt — that was within a judicial system as opposed to a mass execution,” said Karim Medhat Ennarah, a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights who specializes in criminal justice. | “We have never heard of anything of this magnitude before — inside or outside of Egypt — that was within a judicial system as opposed to a mass execution,” said Karim Medhat Ennarah, a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights who specializes in criminal justice. |
| “It is quite ridiculous,” he said, arguing that it would be impossible to prove that 500 people each played a meaningful role in the killing of a single police officer, especially after just one or two short sessions of the trial. “Clearly this is an attempt to intimidate and terrorize the opposition, and specifically the Islamist opposition, but why would the judge get so deeply involved in politics up to this point?” | “It is quite ridiculous,” he said, arguing that it would be impossible to prove that 500 people each played a meaningful role in the killing of a single police officer, especially after just one or two short sessions of the trial. “Clearly this is an attempt to intimidate and terrorize the opposition, and specifically the Islamist opposition, but why would the judge get so deeply involved in politics up to this point?” |
| The verdict was the latest in a string of harsh and speedy sentences against Islamist supporters of the deposed president, including several sentences of 17 years in prison that were handed down after a 10-day trial of a group of student protesters. In Minya, another mass trial of 600 defendants accused of sacking a different police station is set to begin on Tuesday. Mr. Tammam, the lawyer, said the same judge is expected to hear the new case. News reports said Mohamed Badie, the jailed spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, was named as one of the defendants, although he was believed to be in Cairo at the time. | |
| Even though experts said the death sentences issued Monday were almost certain to be reduced, “the staggering harshness and speed of the verdict still shows how profoundly the basic institutions of the Egyptian state are malfunctioning,” Nathan Brown, an expert on the Egyptian judiciary at George Washington University, wrote in an email about the decision. “Mindless repression still seems to be the order of the day.” | Even though experts said the death sentences issued Monday were almost certain to be reduced, “the staggering harshness and speed of the verdict still shows how profoundly the basic institutions of the Egyptian state are malfunctioning,” Nathan Brown, an expert on the Egyptian judiciary at George Washington University, wrote in an email about the decision. “Mindless repression still seems to be the order of the day.” |
| He noted that President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the military strongman who set the template for the Arab world, set up special tribunals for the show trials he used to jail thousands of Islamists and execute many of their leaders as he consolidated power 60 years ago. But this time the regular judiciary — once considered a beachhead of liberalism under decades of authoritarianism — was eagerly collaborating. | He noted that President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the military strongman who set the template for the Arab world, set up special tribunals for the show trials he used to jail thousands of Islamists and execute many of their leaders as he consolidated power 60 years ago. But this time the regular judiciary — once considered a beachhead of liberalism under decades of authoritarianism — was eagerly collaborating. |
| “Toward the end of his life, Nasser is even said to have told a group of judges that he did it that way to avoid implicating them in what he felt he had to do,” Professor Brown said. But in the new crackdown, he said, the “enthusiasm” of some parts of the judiciary “is undermining its international reputation.” | “Toward the end of his life, Nasser is even said to have told a group of judges that he did it that way to avoid implicating them in what he felt he had to do,” Professor Brown said. But in the new crackdown, he said, the “enthusiasm” of some parts of the judiciary “is undermining its international reputation.” |
| Analysts suggested that the judges might be caught up in the fervor of animosity toward the Brotherhood that has swept other segments of society — especially the government bureaucracy — since Mr. Morsi’s ouster. But others said it was also possible that judges might be acting on instructions from security officials, moving voluntarily to curry favor with them, or merely exacting their own revenge on local foes who threatened them. | Analysts suggested that the judges might be caught up in the fervor of animosity toward the Brotherhood that has swept other segments of society — especially the government bureaucracy — since Mr. Morsi’s ouster. But others said it was also possible that judges might be acting on instructions from security officials, moving voluntarily to curry favor with them, or merely exacting their own revenge on local foes who threatened them. |
| The events at issue in the case took place last August, about six weeks after the military takeover, when security forces used deadly force to disperse huge sit-ins. The crackdowns set off a backlash against the police around the country, and Minya was the scene of some of the worst violence. | The events at issue in the case took place last August, about six weeks after the military takeover, when security forces used deadly force to disperse huge sit-ins. The crackdowns set off a backlash against the police around the country, and Minya was the scene of some of the worst violence. |
| Angry Morsi supporters ransacked several churches, accusing the Christian minority of backing the takeover, and they also attacked police stations. | |
| The 529 defendants sentenced on Monday were convicted of attacking the police station in Matay as well as killing an officer there and trying to kill two others, the state newspaper Al Ahram reported. The newspaper said that 16 defendants were acquitted. | The 529 defendants sentenced on Monday were convicted of attacking the police station in Matay as well as killing an officer there and trying to kill two others, the state newspaper Al Ahram reported. The newspaper said that 16 defendants were acquitted. |
| The London office of the Muslim Brotherhood, speaking on behalf of the outlawed Egyptian branch, said in a statement that the group would appeal, calling the decision “a clear violation of all norms of humane and legal justice.” | The London office of the Muslim Brotherhood, speaking on behalf of the outlawed Egyptian branch, said in a statement that the group would appeal, calling the decision “a clear violation of all norms of humane and legal justice.” |
| The Egyptian government issued its own statement emphasizing that “the Egyptian judiciary is entirely independent and is not influenced in any way by the executive branch.” It noted that “the sentence was issued by an independent court after careful study of the case,” and that the decision is “only the first verdict in the trial process,” including appeals to higher courts. | The Egyptian government issued its own statement emphasizing that “the Egyptian judiciary is entirely independent and is not influenced in any way by the executive branch.” It noted that “the sentence was issued by an independent court after careful study of the case,” and that the decision is “only the first verdict in the trial process,” including appeals to higher courts. |
| Those in Minya who wanted to cheer the verdict did so openly, without fear of reprisal from their once-domineering Islamist neighbors. “Sentencing 529 to death is not too much for what they did to some police stations and churches,” said Mina Ramzi, 24, a Coptic Christian courthouse clerk sitting in a street cafe. “It is a statement to anybody who might think about doing anything like that again.” | Those in Minya who wanted to cheer the verdict did so openly, without fear of reprisal from their once-domineering Islamist neighbors. “Sentencing 529 to death is not too much for what they did to some police stations and churches,” said Mina Ramzi, 24, a Coptic Christian courthouse clerk sitting in a street cafe. “It is a statement to anybody who might think about doing anything like that again.” |
| Several Islamists, speaking on the condition of anonymity, vowed that anger at the verdict would provide new impetus to the protests. | Several Islamists, speaking on the condition of anonymity, vowed that anger at the verdict would provide new impetus to the protests. |
| But many also acknowledged that fear of the resurgent police had held them in check. “The security is too tight,” said a member of the local university staff after the march Monday night. “I am 38 years old, and I have never seen anything like these death sentences anywhere in the world. Only in Egypt.” | But many also acknowledged that fear of the resurgent police had held them in check. “The security is too tight,” said a member of the local university staff after the march Monday night. “I am 38 years old, and I have never seen anything like these death sentences anywhere in the world. Only in Egypt.” |