Egyptian judge sentences 720 men to death

Lawyers and rights campaigners say ruling infringes basic law after defence unable to present case and witnesses not heard

A judge in Egypt has sentenced to death 720 men, including the head of the Muslim Brotherhood, in a pair of mass-trials that were both completed after just two brief court sessions.

In the first case, 683 men – including Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Badie – were sentenced to death on charges of killing a policeman in a southern Egyptian town last August. Minutes later, in a second and separate case, the same judge – Saeed Youssef – upheld the death sentences of 37 of the 529 men he notoriously sentenced to hang last month. The remaining 492 had their sentences commuted to 25-year jail terms, with all 529 convicted of killing a second police officer in a neighbouring town on the same day.

In a separate development on Monday, a Cairo court banned the 6 April youth movement, the liberal protest group charged with playing a leading role in Egypt's 2011 revolution. A spokesman for the group, Ahmad Abd Allah, said the move highlighted the extent of Egypt's counter-revolution.

"It shows that it's not just the Islamists who are being targeted: it's also liberal groups like us. And [the government] will continue all the way to close down all democratic forces," said Abd Allah.

"What else did you think a military coup would do? It's something expected from a military regime that has killed thousands of people, and imprisoned thousands more. And it's just the beginning."

Lawyers and rights campaigners said the sentences in both court cases resulted from rushed proceedings that infringed basic local and international law.

Mohamed Elmessiry, an Amnesty International researcher who attended the hearings, said: "In each trial, the defence were not able to present their case, the witnesses were not heard, and many of the accused were not brought to the courtroom. This lacks any basic guarantees of a fair trial – not only under international law, but also Egyptian national law.

"The trials themselves are a death sentence to any remaining credibility and independence of Egypt's criminal justice system."

...........

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/28/egyptian-judge-sentences-720-men-death

Seems incredible that people were short sighted enough to think that an army coup was better than democratic elections and thought it was going to lead to a better life for Egyptians.

Don't be so bigoted to think you know better Sassy.

Let them live under their own rules, not your own twisted Western rules.

Good luck to the Egyptians. A wonderful country I've visited more than once and have always been made to feel very welcome.

It's not their rules Andy, it's the rules of the Army. Their rules had elections.

Sassy wrote:It's not their rules Andy, it's the rules of the Army.   Their rules had elections.

That's just the way it is Sassy - I'm ruled by a Labour council. I didn't vote for them (shock) and because of them my family have to run the gauntlet of immigrant muggers and killers every day.

That's life.

BigAndy9 wrote:

Sassy wrote:It's not their rules Andy, it's the rules of the Army.   Their rules had elections.

That's just the way it is Sassy - I'm ruled by a Labour council.  I didn't vote for them (shock) and because of them my family have to run the gauntlet of immigrant muggers and killers every day.

That's life.

You are ruled by a Labour Council because the people in your area elected them, they didn't shoot and kill thousands.

And perhaps, just for once, you'd like to stick to the thread, which isn't about immigration in Britain, or your terrible 'suffering'   

BigAndy9 wrote:

Sassy wrote:It's not their rules Andy, it's the rules of the Army.   Their rules had elections.

That's just the way it is Sassy - I'm ruled by a Labour council.  I didn't vote for them (shock) and because of them my family have to run the gauntlet of immigrant muggers and killers every day.

That's life.

And the people of Egypt didn't vote for who is in power now.

Are there no muggers other than immigrant muggers around Andy?

Sassy wrote:

BigAndy9 wrote:


That's just the way it is Sassy - I'm ruled by a Labour council.  I didn't vote for them (shock) and because of them my family have to run the gauntlet of immigrant muggers and killers every day.

That's life.

You are ruled by a Labour Council because the people in your area elected them, they didn't shoot and kill thousands.  

And perhaps, just for once, you'd like to stick to the thread, which isn't about immigration in Britain, or your terrible 'suffering'   

And you do remember the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions who turned out to support the army?

Irn Bru wrote:

BigAndy9 wrote:


That's just the way it is Sassy - I'm ruled by a Labour council.  I didn't vote for them (shock) and because of them my family have to run the gauntlet of immigrant muggers and killers every day.

That's life.

And the people of Egypt didn't vote for who is in power now.

Are there no muggers other than immigrant muggers around Andy?

Not sure Iron.

Why?

Support for El-Sisi presidency falls in latest Baseera poll
Percentage of Egyptians who say they will vote for former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi drops to 39%
30 March 2014

Fifty-nine percent of Egyptians are undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, according to an opinion poll.

The poll, conducted by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera), showed 84 percent of Egyptians intend to vote in the election, while 16 percent do not.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/97856/Egypt/Politics-/Support-for-ElSisi-presidency-falls-in-latest-Base.aspx



I imagine with the terrible abuse of power and injustices they see all around them, as well as the erosion of everything they fought for in 2011, this is going to drop even lower.

Sassy wrote:Support for El-Sisi presidency falls in latest Baseera poll
Percentage of Egyptians who say they will vote for former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi drops to 39%
30 March 2014

Fifty-nine percent of Egyptians are undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, according to an opinion poll.

The poll, conducted by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera), showed 84 percent of Egyptians intend to vote in the election, while 16 percent do not.



I imagine with the terrible abuse of power and injustices they see all around them, as well as the erosion of everything they fought for in 2011, this is going to drop even lower.    

Interesting figures.

I bet the Muslim bro'hood don't get in though.   

BigAndy9 wrote:

Sassy wrote:Support for El-Sisi presidency falls in latest Baseera poll
Percentage of Egyptians who say they will vote for former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi drops to 39%
30 March 2014

Fifty-nine percent of Egyptians are undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, according to an opinion poll.

The poll, conducted by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera), showed 84 percent of Egyptians intend to vote in the election, while 16 percent do not.



I imagine with the terrible abuse of power and injustices they see all around them, as well as the erosion of everything they fought for in 2011, this is going to drop even lower.    

Interesting figures.

I bet the Muslim bro'hood don't get in though.      

I think most of them and a lot of the population have been shot or are about to be. That's life under the Egyptian military.

Well, I expect they have either killed or imprisoned most of they, plus the secularist opposition.   In fact, it's quite surprising there isn't a higher percentage for Sisi, as he has killed off anyone he doesn't like.

Sassy wrote:Well, I expect they have either killed or imprisoned most of they, plus the secularist opposition.   In fact, it's quite surprising there isn't a higher percentage for Sisi, as he has killed off anyone he doesn't like.

Killed off anybody he doesn't like?

Oh don't be silly Sassy.

You are the one being silly by not recognising what is going on, but then, I never thought of you are being well informed anyway.

Anyway, things to do, will let you post your crap in peace  ::D:: 

Sassy wrote:Well, I expect they have either killed or imprisoned most of they, plus the secularist opposition.   In fact, it's quite surprising there isn't a higher percentage for Sisi, as he has killed off anyone he doesn't like.

Scaremongering, fear and prejudice - nothing more.

Sassy wrote:It's not their rules Andy, it's the rules of the Army.   Their rules had elections.

But elections mean different things in different countries, some are rife with corruption etc. And I do seem to remember a lot of people cheering here when the 'Arab Spring' happened! Also, they didn't have their revolution because they were bored - there was an awful lot wrong with their government before it was overthrown.

To my mind this only proves that the mindset of people of the Middle East is nothing like ours. "Firebrands" is the only word I can think of to describe it. The rest of the world needs to keep out of their affairs.

I'd like to know more about these murders of two policemen, and why so many were convicted of the murders.

Do they take the view that anyone involved is guilty even if they didn't do the killing? It always annoys me when they don't do that here.

should have kept mubarak in power

BigAndy9 wrote:

Sassy wrote:Support for El-Sisi presidency falls in latest Baseera poll
Percentage of Egyptians who say they will vote for former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi drops to 39%
30 March 2014

Fifty-nine percent of Egyptians are undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, according to an opinion poll.

The poll, conducted by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera), showed 84 percent of Egyptians intend to vote in the election, while 16 percent do not.



I imagine with the terrible abuse of power and injustices they see all around them, as well as the erosion of everything they fought for in 2011, this is going to drop even lower.    

Interesting figures.

I bet the Muslim bro'hood don't get in though.      

You don't get to talk about Egypt, or anywhere else you don't live, BigAndy -- per your own rules.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

BigAndy9 wrote:


Interesting figures.

I bet the Muslim bro'hood don't get in though.      

You don't get to talk about Egypt, or anywhere else you don't live, BigAndy -- per your own rules.

I don't have rules.

In this case we're all discussing the affairs of another country, unless Egypt is where didge is from? I'm not too sure of his origins - that's his business I suppose.