Egyptian court sentences 75 to death for sit-in over former president Morsi
An Egyptian court has sentenced 75 people to death, including top members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, for a 2013 sit-in at Cairo’s Rabaa Square.
The convictions form part of a trial of 739 people relating to the sit-in for ousted president Mohammed Morsi.
Mr Morsi was toppled by the military in July 2013 after protests demanding his resignation. After Minister of Defence Abdel Fattah El Sisi became president, supporters of Mr Morsi staged protests demanding his reinstatement.
The largest was the sit-in at Rabaa Al Adawiya in the eastern Cairo neighbourhood of Nasr City.
In August 2013, hundreds of people were killed when security forces broke up the protest, and another one in Giza.
Human rights groups said the massacre was one of the world’s largest killings of demonstrators in one day.
Egyptian officials defended the clearance operations, saying protesters were given the opportunity to leave peacefully. They claimed armed elements within the Muslim Brotherhood started the violence.
Since then, the Egyptian government cracked down on dissenters, ranging from civil society activists to members of the Brotherhood, which Egypt says is a terrorist organisation.
Sentencing for more than 660 remaining defendants was set for September 8, the state-run Al Ahram news website said.
Those awaiting sentencing include the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie and award-winning photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, also known as Shawkan. Charges range from murder to damaging public property.
Egyptian law requires any capital sentence to be referred to Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam, Egypt’s highest Islamic legal official, for an opinion before any execution can take place.
The idea that more than 700 people could all stand trial together in one day is clearly a grossly unfair trail NAJIA BOUNAIM Amnesty campaigns director
Human rights groups have condemned the mass trial.
“The idea that more than 700 people could all stand trial together in one day, all facing the death penalty in what is clearly a grossly unfair trial that violates Egypt’s own constitution beggars belief,” said Amnesty International’s North African campaigns director Najia Bounaim.
The sentencing coincides with the anniversary of mass protests against Mr Morsi’s one-year rule in 2013, which prompted the army to move against him.