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Egyptian President Vows Swifter Justice for Terrorists After Assassination Egyptian President Vows Swifter Justice for Terrorists After Assassination
(34 minutes later)
CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi vowed Tuesday to enact new laws to speed terrorism trials and sentences, including executions, a day after a bombing killed Egypt’s top prosecutor as he drove to work. CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi vowed Tuesday to enact new laws to speed terrorism trials and sentences, including executions, a day after a bombing killed Egypt’s top prosecutor as he drove to work.
Mr. Sisi’s comments immediately stirred concern among legal experts and human rights advocates. Hundreds of Islamists and other opponents of the government face harsh sentences, including the death penalty, after trials that have been criticized for due process violations.Mr. Sisi’s comments immediately stirred concern among legal experts and human rights advocates. Hundreds of Islamists and other opponents of the government face harsh sentences, including the death penalty, after trials that have been criticized for due process violations.
“We will not wait five or 10 years, trying the people that are killing us,” Mr. Sisi said angrily on Tuesday, speaking after a state funeral for the prosecutor, Hisham Barakat. “We will make the law, a law to confront this,” he said.“We will not wait five or 10 years, trying the people that are killing us,” Mr. Sisi said angrily on Tuesday, speaking after a state funeral for the prosecutor, Hisham Barakat. “We will make the law, a law to confront this,” he said.
Mr. Barakat was the most senior Egyptian official to be killed in a violent campaign against the government that militants have been waging for nearly two years. The attack on Mr. Barakat’s convoy on Monday, on a residential street in the capital, was damaging to Egypt’s leaders, who have claimed to be prevailing against the insurgency.Mr. Barakat was the most senior Egyptian official to be killed in a violent campaign against the government that militants have been waging for nearly two years. The attack on Mr. Barakat’s convoy on Monday, on a residential street in the capital, was damaging to Egypt’s leaders, who have claimed to be prevailing against the insurgency.
Mr. Barakat, the state’s general prosecutor, played a central role in the crackdown on Islamists, making him an especially likely target for militant groups who have vowed retaliation for judicial sentences.Mr. Barakat, the state’s general prosecutor, played a central role in the crackdown on Islamists, making him an especially likely target for militant groups who have vowed retaliation for judicial sentences.
Mr. Sisi did not explain how the passage of the new laws might have helped prevent the attack on Mr. Barakat. Instead, his comments seemed intended to assuage popular anger directed at the Muslim Brotherhood, the outlawed Islamist group that Mr. Sisi’s government has vilified and publicly blamed for the bombing. Mr. Sisi did not explain how the passage of the new laws might have helped prevent the attack on Mr. Barakat. Instead, his comments seemed intended to capitalize on popular anger directed at the Muslim Brotherhood, the outlawed Islamist group that Mr. Sisi’s government has vilified and publicly blamed for the bombing.
The Brotherhood has denied that it mounted the attack, and no other group has claimed responsibility.The Brotherhood has denied that it mounted the attack, and no other group has claimed responsibility.
Several senior Brotherhood leaders have been sentenced to death, including former President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the military two years ago, though their cases are under appeal. In his comments, Mr. Sisi suggested that the process of carrying out sentences was taking too long, saying that justice “was constrained by the law.”Several senior Brotherhood leaders have been sentenced to death, including former President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the military two years ago, though their cases are under appeal. In his comments, Mr. Sisi suggested that the process of carrying out sentences was taking too long, saying that justice “was constrained by the law.”
Egyptian security officials have complained for years about the lengthy process of trying terrorism suspects, and have used such complaints to justify holding expedited trials in extraordinary courts, including military courts, according to Mohamed Lotfy, the executive director of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms.Egyptian security officials have complained for years about the lengthy process of trying terrorism suspects, and have used such complaints to justify holding expedited trials in extraordinary courts, including military courts, according to Mohamed Lotfy, the executive director of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms.
But Mr. Lotfy said the current round of trials had hardly been hampered by delays. He cited one case in which a judge sentenced hundreds of people to death after a cursory trial.But Mr. Lotfy said the current round of trials had hardly been hampered by delays. He cited one case in which a judge sentenced hundreds of people to death after a cursory trial.
Egypt has not had a sitting parliament since Mr. Sisi became the president last year, and he has promulgated hundreds of laws on his own authority. He said Tuesday that new laws regulating the judiciary would be issued within days, without providing further details.Egypt has not had a sitting parliament since Mr. Sisi became the president last year, and he has promulgated hundreds of laws on his own authority. He said Tuesday that new laws regulating the judiciary would be issued within days, without providing further details.
An Egyptian newspaper, Al Masry al Youm, said in a report citing unnamed sources in the judiciary that the new measures would include limits on the review of cases by the country’s highest appeals court, as well as amendments to the criminal code that would allow judges to choose not to hear testimony from some defense witnesses.An Egyptian newspaper, Al Masry al Youm, said in a report citing unnamed sources in the judiciary that the new measures would include limits on the review of cases by the country’s highest appeals court, as well as amendments to the criminal code that would allow judges to choose not to hear testimony from some defense witnesses.
At the funeral, Mr. Sisi told a group of judges that the prosecution of militants required extraordinary measures. “We cannot continue this way,” he said. “Neither this law nor these courts will work in these circumstances. This would work with normal people, but not with those people; only prompt law will work with them.”At the funeral, Mr. Sisi told a group of judges that the prosecution of militants required extraordinary measures. “We cannot continue this way,” he said. “Neither this law nor these courts will work in these circumstances. This would work with normal people, but not with those people; only prompt law will work with them.”
Mohamed Zarea, the director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, called the proposed measures “alarming” and “a repetition of the same strategy that has failed dramatically to combat terrorism.” Mohamed Zarea, the director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, called the proposed measures “alarming” and “a repetition of the same strategy that has failed dramatically to combat terrorism.” “There is an intention to change the whole judicial system so that it is based on emergency justice,” Mr. Zarea said.
“There is an intention to change the whole judicial system so that it is based on emergency justice,” Mr. Zarea said.
“We are going to live in that emergency without declaring a state of emergency, and it will be legalized.”“We are going to live in that emergency without declaring a state of emergency, and it will be legalized.”