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Egypt mass deaths: Muslim brotherhood leader Badie among hundreds sentenced to death
Egypt mass deaths: Muslim brotherhood leader Badie among hundreds sentenced to death
(35 minutes later)
A judge in Egypt sentenced to death 683 alleged supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president on Monday over acts of violence and the murder of policemen in the latest mass trial in Egypt that included the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, defense lawyers said.
An Egyptian judge sentenced 683 alleged Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death on Monday, including the group’s leader Mohamed Badie.
Under the law, Monday's verdicts in the southern city of Minya have to be referred to Egypt's Grand Mufti, the top Islamic official, said one of the attorneys, Ahmed Hefni.
The convictions are linked to riots that took place in the southern city of Minya and elsewhere in Egypt, after security forces disbanded sit-ins held by alleged party supporters in the capital Cairo last August.
Such a move is usually considered a formality but the same judge in the trial on Monday also reversed most of the death sentences out of 529 that were passed in a similar case in March, and commuted the majority of them to life imprisonment.
Hundreds of people were killed as part of the crackdown on pro-President Mohammed Morsi activists, after he was removed by the military last July.
Monday's case is linked to deadly riots that erupted in Minya and elsewhere in Egypt after security forces violently disbanded sit-ins held by Brotherhood supporters in Cairo last August.
Since then, around 16,000 people have been arrested, including most of the group's top leaders. Large numbers of pro-Morsi protesters have also been detained by police.
Hundreds were killed as part of a sweeping campaign against supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, who was removed by the military last July.
Lawyer Ahmed Hefni told reporters outside the court on Monday that the death sentences must be approved by Egypt's mufti, the top Islamic official. However, his opinion is not legally binding, and is instead considered a formality.
Among those convicted and sentenced to death on Monday was Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood's spiritual guide. If his sentence is confirmed, it would make him the most senior figure in the Brotherhood to be sentenced to death since one of the group's leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was executed in 1966.
After his decision is made, the court will hold another session on 21 June to issue the final verdicts.
After Mufti's decision, the same court will hold another session on June 21 to issue the final verdicts.
On Monday, security forces surrounded the court building and blocked roads to families and media from attending the proceedings.
Monday's stunning decision sparked an outcry among families of the defendants, with women fainting and relatives wailing and crying out “Why? This is unfair!”
Lawyer Ali Kamal, told reporters that the hearing lasted only eight minutes.
“My three sons are inside,” said a woman outside the court who only gave her first name, Samiya, as she screamed in grief. “I have no one but God.”
“This is against the spirit of the law. The verdicts will be easily appealed,” said Mr Kamal.
Another lawyer, Ali Kamal, said the hearing lasted only eight minutes.
Judge Said Youssef also replaced 490 death sentences with life imprisonment on Monday, following a ruling last month which saw 529 people condemned to death.
Security forces surrounded the court building and blocked roads, preventing families and media from attending the proceedings.
At the time, the court was heavily criticised by the UN, the US and the EU.
“This is against the spirit of the law. The verdicts will be easily appealed,” Kamal told reporters.
Amnesty International called the sentences “grotesque” and Egyptian rights groups were stunned at the swift verdicts, passed after only one hearing — and without defense presenting its case.
The same judge, Said Youssef, last month sentenced 529 Morsi supporters to death but on Monday commuted the sentences of all but 37 defendants. The remaining 490 were given life sentences.
If the use of the death penalty against the Brotherhood’s general guide is confirmed, he would become the most senior figure in the party to be sentenced to death since one of the group's leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was executed in 1966.
At the time, those rulings brought heavy international criticism from the United Nations, United States and European Union.
The likely move is expected to raise tensions in Egypt, which has been in turmoil following ousting of then-President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Amnesty International called them “grotesque” and Egyptian rights groups were stunned at the swift verdicts, passed after only one hearing — and without defense presenting its case.
Additional reporting by agencies
Egypt's interim, military-backed government has branded the Brotherhood a terrorist group, a claim it denies.
Some 16,000 people have been arrested since the military ousted Morsi last July, including most of the group's top leaders. Large numbers of pro-Morsi protesters have also been rounded up and detained by police.
