By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East 

CAIRO, Egypt. In a shocking decision an Egyptian court sentence 683 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to death for “inciting violence” during deadly riots that broke out last year after the government cracked down on demonstrations in the central Egyptian city of Minya orchestrated by supporters of the Brotherhood in opposition of the military coup that resulted in the removal or President Mohamed Morsi from power last July. Mohamed Badie, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, was among those sentenced.

Relatives and families of members of Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Mohamed Morsi react after hearing the sentence, in front of the court in the city of Minya in south of Cairo. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

The sentence shocked the families of the accused, many accusing the state of using the court system as another tool for cracking down on the rights of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. The sister of Abu Bakr Ismail, a 30 year-old pharmacist and father of two said “My brother is an innocent man.” She said; “he was arrested because he was bearded and memorized the Quran.”

In March, in a spate case, the same judge sentenced 529 men to death in connection to the murder of a single police officer who was killed during the violent clashes that broke out between government officials and Islamists. The violent clashes between security forces and opponents of the coup followed a deadly crackdown by security forces on two Cairo sit-ins being held by supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi.

The ruling raised the one-month total for capital punishment sentences for the judge, Said Yusuf, beyond the total number of people believed to have been judicially executed world-wide last year. While these verdicts are shocking observers have noted that it is unlikely that they will be carried out. Egypt’s state prosecutor has ordered a judicial review of both cases. Also, only a fraction of the men convicted in these cases are in police custody; and under Egyptian law any person sentenced in absentia has the right to a retrial.

The sentences reflect the paradigm shift that has occurred in Egypt since the state’s first democratically elected leader, who was supported by the Muslim Brotherhood, was removed from power last year. Since the removal or President Morsi the government has cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood, once again considering it an illegal organization, returning it to the status it had under the Mubarak Regime.

The violent crackdowns on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which have included these “mass death-Sentence” cases have sparked a firestorm of international condemnation and called the states transition to democracy into question.

Several senators in the United States, which has long-been a source of aid for the Egyptian military, moved to block future deliveries of military aid.  The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is “is alarmed by the news” of the mass death sentence in Egypit. The Secretary-General’s spokesperson said the Secretary-General is “concerned” about the situation and “intends to discuss these concerns and other issues with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt Nabil Fahmy.”

The rulings came as the Egyptian interim government claims it remains committed to following its roadmap to democracy. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the general who led the coup against President Mori, is expected to win the presidential elections to be held on May 26-27, a fact may critics say is a sign that the Egyptian state has returned to a military regime.

For more information please see:

The Economist – Hang Them All? – 03 May 2014

CNN International – Egypt Court Sentences Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood Supporters to Death – 29 April 2014

Al Jazeera – Egyptians Reel from Mass Death Sentence – 29 April 2014

Reuters – Egyptian Court Sentences Top Muslim Brotherhood Leader to Death – 28 April 2014

Author: Impunity Watch Archive