Egypt sentences 185 pro-democracy supporters to death

An Egyptian court yesterday sentenced 185 supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi to death, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The cases have been transferred to the republic’s Grand Mufti, the country’s highest religious authority, for approval.

The defendants were found guilty of storming Kerdasa police station in Giza, west Cairo, in August last year. Eleven police officers and two civilians were killed during the incident. They were also charged with the attempted murder of 10 police officers, the destruction of the station, burning a number of police cars and armoured vehicles and possession of firearms.

The court is scheduled to issue a final verdict on January 24. The defendants can then appeal.

Ahmed Hassan, a member of the defence team, said the Giza Court sentenced 188 defendants to death, 34 in absentia. Three suspects were excluded from the final decision because two are dead; Mohammed Rashidah and Mahmoud Al-Rubi, while the third is a minor named Ali Farhat who will be sentenced in January.

Magdi Mohammed, another member of the defence team, said earlier that the defence team will wait for the Mufti’s opinion and will appeal against the verdict after its release on January 24.

He pointed out that the defendants deny all charges against them and the defence fears that they will not have fair trials.

Magdi said the defendants include a woman named Sumayah Shannan, 50, and her son Tariq.

The defendants have been returned to Wadi El-Natrun prison while Shannan will return to the women’s prison in northern Cairo.

Shannan, who was detained on September 2013, is the third woman to be sentenced to death.