Egypt’s Freedom and Justice Party calls on international community to block political trials

Egypt’s Freedom and Justice Party has sent letters to the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union, calling on them to intervene as a matter of urgency and bring an end to the mass trials of political opponents in the North African country. Such trials almost inevitable end with the imposition of the death penalty and lengthy prison sentences.

On Saturday, the Cairo Criminal Court issued 75 death sentences, 47 terms of life imprisonment and other sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years imprisonment against 612 people who participated in a protest sit-in five years ago.

The letters to the international community organisations also call for an investigation into the way that the trials are conducted. It is believed widely that they do not meet the criteria expected for trials to be open and fair.

Read: EU raises concern over death sentences in Egypt