Originally published on the CGS blog on March 28, 2014.
In what has been deemed as contrary to international law; 529 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters have been sentenced to death.
The ruling came after only two days of arguments and has been called a “cursory mass trial” by Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Defense attorneys were reportedly denied access to evidence and threatened into silence after objecting to procedures. Additionally, two-thirds of the accused were tried in absentia, only 131 were reportedly faced their trial.
The convictions were of various charges stemming from mass protests after former President Mohamed Morsi was ousted last July. The charges included incitement of violence, membership of an unlawful organization and the killing of one police officer.
The sentence has been condemned by several human rights organizations, being called an “injustice” by Amnesty International’s regional program director Hassiba Hadj Sahroui. The UN human rights office has also stated the trial was “rife with procedural irregularities” and a “breach of international law”.
The breach in international law refers to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), an international treaty ratified by Egypt. It states that death sentence may only be imposed after proceedings that meet the highest level of respect for a fair trial and due process standards, and only for the most serious crimes in accordance with international law.
Before the verdict is finalized it must be sent to the Grand Mufti, Egypt’s supreme religious author. The final trial part will be held on 28 April. An appeal is expected. With an additional 683 supporters set to stand trial a stand must be made by the international community; these gross violations of human rights cannot be tolerated.
