1,045 Egyptians referred to military courts in less than a month

Haitham Abu Khalil, general manager of the Victims Centre for Human Rights, condemned the referral of 1,045 Egyptians to military courts in less than a month, noting that human rights organisations have remained silent on the matter.

In a post on Facebook he said that the tragedy is that hundreds of these Egyptians were “referred retroactively, which violates the illegitimate Egyptian constitution. It is farcical that all of those referred to the military courts have not committed any crimes against any military establishments.”

He added that the policy of changing courts is a mockery which is regularly practiced by the military. Ousted President Mohamed Morsi was held and the naval base in which he was held was transformed into a ministry of interior prison, while government hospitals, universities and buildings were turned into military hospitals.

Abu Khalil said that the goal behind such unjust referrals is to alleviate pressure from the civil judiciary after hundreds of innocent people were convicted and several people resigned due to the awkwardness felt in some departments. Using military judges stops authorities having to deal with civilian courts.