By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt-Two supporters of the ousted President Mohammed Morsi have been sentenced to death for their actions during a protest after Morsi was ousted.  The two supporters threw two youth off the roof of a building during the violent protests.

The traumatic event occurred on July 5 of last year, two days after Morsi was ousted.  Witnesses claimed it to be one of the most dramatic acts of violence on a day where sixteen other people were killed in Alexandria.

Egypt’s state news agency reported that a court in Alexandria found the two men guilty of murdering a child and a young man during the mass protests.  Judge Sayed Abdel-Latif stated he would issue the verdict against another sixty defendants charged with violence on that day in another two months.   Why the ruling was split, is unclear.

The boy who was killed was nine-year-old Hamada Badr.  Witnesses to the incident, including an Associated Press journalist, reported that the boy was stabbed and then thrown off the roof.

“But I want all the Brotherhood leadership tried and sentenced to death,” said Badr Hassouna, the boy’s father who said the verdict was partial vindication.

The other victim was a man in his early twenties who was hurled to his death and Morsi supporters proceeded to beat his lifeless body.

That same day, another twelve people were killed elsewhere in Egypt as tens of thousands of infuriated Morsi supporters took to the street in support of the Muslim Brotherhood.  Since then, violence has continued.

Last week, 529 Islamists were sentenced to death for killing a policeman in Minya, a province south of Cairo.  Morsi and most of the Brotherhood leadership are detained and awaiting trial from charges ranging from murder to incitement of violence to conspiring with foreign destabilization groups.

Almost no official has been held accountable for the killing of protesters.  Eight months after Morsi’s ouster, his supporters still protest, sparking clashes in the streets with security forces and political opponents.

Last Friday saw the latest act of violence where five people were killed, including a young female journalist who was shot in the head.  Hisham Abdel Hamid, a spokesman for CBC-TV, reported that four others were shot in the head and the chest.

Of the five people killed, one was a Christian woman who was pulled out of her car when protesters spotted a cross inside.  She was then shot dead.

For more information, please see the following: 

Ahram-Two Islamists sentenced to death for throwing children off roof last July-30 March 2014

Al Jazeera-Egypt sentences Morsi supporters to death-30 March 2014

Huffington Post-Egypt Court Sentences 2 Morsi Supporters To Death-30 March 2014

NBC News-Egyptian Court Sentences Two Morsi Supporters to Death-30 March 2014

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has met the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in order to salvage foundering peace talks that were dealt a new blow when Arab leaders said they would never recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

On Wednesday, Abbas spoke to reporters and said he still was waiting to receive a formal framework proposal from Kerry. He said there have been no talks on extending negotiations beyond the April deadline, adding that the coming month would be “a very important period.”

Kerry and Abbas spoke for more than four hours over a working dinner in the Jordanian capital of Amman that U.S. officials said were “constructive.” No other details of the meeting were released.

Kerry flew from Rome to Amman to see Abbas as negotiations approached a critical April 30 deadline for a settlement. The Palestinians have threatened to walk away before then unless Israel releases a group of prisoners, as it agreed to, by Saturday.

Kerry planned further talks with Abbas and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the coming days.

Wednesday’s announcement by the Arab League, blaming Israel for a lack of progress in the Middle East peace process, put up another roadblock. The communique, issued at the end of a two-day summit, also rejected “the continuation of settlements, Judaisation of Jerusalem, and attacks in its Muslim and Christian shrines.”

In Amman, Kerry met first on Wednesday with Jordan’s King Abdullah II before the dinner with Abbas. Kerry planned his return to Rome on Thursday to join President Barack Obama at meetings with Pope Francis and Italian officials.

The League’s announcement that it would not recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people rejected a key demand of Netanyahu. The Palestinians say such recognition would undermine the rights of Palestinian refugees and Israel’s Arab minority.

Kerry will then join Obama in Saudi Arabia on Friday and Saturday.

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-Kerry meets Abbas as peace process founders-27 March 2014

Reuters-Kerry interrupts Rome visit to salvage Mideast peace talks-27 March 2014

U.S. News-Secretary of State Kerry meets Palestinian leader Abbas in bid to salvage peace process-27 March 2014

Washington Post-Kerry meets Abbas as peace process founders-27 March 2014

 

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – In the largest mass death sentence to be handed by a court in modern Egyptian history 529 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood have been sentenced to death, charged with several crimes including murder. The verdict was handed down on Monday and according to Egypt’s official news agency, the charges were related to riots in the city of Minya in south Egypt in august of last year, including the death of an Egyptian police officer. The charges against the defendants included charges of violence, inciting murder, storming a police station, attacking persons and damaging both public and private property.

The group of defendants is part of a group of about 1,200 Muslim brotherhood supporters on trial in Egypt, including senior members of the organizations. About 400 of those convicted are fugitives and were convicted and sentenced in absentia; under Egyptian law, they will be entitled to a retrial if they are arrested.

Most of the defendants were arrested and charged with caring out attacks during the violent clashes between protesters opposing the removal of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the now banned Muslim Brotherhood, that occurred in Minya after the intern military government cracked down on the opposing, forcing the dispersal of two major protest camps, used by the Muslim Brotherhood to demonstrate against the coup, on August 14 of last year.

The defendants are expected to appeal the decision and layers say the verdict is almost certain to be overturned on appeal. Many legal experts in Egypt were surprised by the verdict which is the largest mass trial or conviction in modern Egyptian history. “We have never heard of anything of this magnitude before, inside or outside of Egypt, that was within a judicial system — not just a mass execution,” said Karim Medhat Ennarah, a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights specializing in criminal justice issues.

Ennarah, who called the verdict “ridiculous”  argued that it would be impossible to prove that more than 500 people each played a significant role in the killing a single police offence, especially after just on session of the trial, which is what occurred in the case. He said; “clearly this is an attempt to intimidate and terrorize the opposition, and specifically the Islamist opposition, but would the judge get so deeply involved in politics up to this point?”

The verdict was the latest example of Egypt’s speedy and brutal crackdown on Islamists and supporters of the Muslim brotherhood, the verdict was the latest in a sting of speedy trials resulting in harsh sentences against Islamists and other supports of Mohamed Morsi, including a ten-day trial that recent ended in 17 year sentences for a group of student demonstrators. Human Rights groups have said Monday’s verdict is a signal that the Egyptian government intended to further tighten its grip on the opposition, including the Muslim Brotherhood, once the nation’s leading party, which has been largely driven underground by the government’s crackdown.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Muslim Brotherhood Members Sentenced to Death – 24 March 2014

CNN International – 528 Muslim Brotherhood Supporters Sentenced to Death in Egypt – 24 March 2014

BBC News – Egypt Court Sentences 528 Morsi Supporters to Death – 24 March 2014

National Public Radio – Egyptian Court Sentences More Than 500 Morsi Supporters to Die – 24 March 2014

The New York Times – Hundreds Of Egyptians Sentenced to Death In Killing Of A Police Officer – 24 March 2014

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran-US President Barack Obama has informed Iranians that  they “deserve better” and that a comprehensive agreement on the nuclear issue will help move Iran “along the new path that so many Iranians seek.”

In his address, Obama said, “A comprehensive agreement on the nuclear issue would help move Iran along the new path that so many Iranians seek.”

Obama remarked on Thursday in a message marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year, a day after the conclusion of the latest round of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program.

This is Obama’s first Nowruz address since talks began in earnest to reach a lasting settlement about Iran’s nuclear activities and the first since Hassan Rouhani was elected to the office of president.

Iran has denied developing the capability to produce atomic weapons. The US, the European Union and the United Nations have imposed sanctions on Iran because of its refusal to suspend enrichment and other sensitive atomic activities.

“But the economic hardship that so many Iranians have endured in recent years – because of the choices of Iranian leaders – has deprived your country and the world of the extraordinary skills and contributions you have to offer. And you deserve better.”

On Wednesday Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, told reporters in Vienna that they had held “substantive” and “useful” talks.

The P5+1, a group comprised of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US, hope to honor the July deadline set in November for a long-term nuclear deal between the six powers and Iran.

Obama said: “If Iran meets its international obligations…It means more economic growth and jobs for Iranians…more opportunities for Iranian students…real diplomatic progress this year can help open up new possibilities and prosperity for the Iranian people for years to come.

That deadline was agreed as part of an interim deal, reached in November, under which Iran stopped some parts of its program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

“That’s the message the Iranian people sent at the ballot box last year. I hope that the entire Iranian government hears that message too.”

A meeting between the P5+1 and Iran is set for April 7^th in Vienna.

For more information, please see the following: 

Aljazeera-Obama: Iranians ‘deserve better’ from leaders-20 March 2014

Daily Star-Obama calls on Iran to seize opportunity of nuke talks-20 March 2014

White House-Statement by President Obama on Nowruz-20 March 2014

Zee News-Obama calls on Iran to seize opportunity of nuclear talks-20 March 2014