Egypt upholds death penalty for 7 charged with murder of police officer

Egypt’s highest appeals court, the Court of Cassation, has upheld the death sentence of seven defendants who were found guilty of murdering a police officer.

The Egyptian Court of Cassation yesterday rejected the appeal filed by the defendants against the ruling issued by Al-Ismailia Criminal Court to execute the men. They had been charged and tried for killed Police Captain Ahmed Abu Douma in 2013.

The court convicted the defendants of quarrelling and assaulting the officer by firing two bullets, one in his chest and the other on his right leg which led to his death. The officer was murdered while he accompanied his force to investigate and arrest two persons who they believed were in possession of narcotics.

International human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the death sentences issued against protesters by the Egyptian judiciary over recent years. Amnesty described the death sentences as “disgraceful”.

Since the deadly coup of 2013, mass trials have been held in Egypt for suspected “terrorists” where hundreds are sentenced in one day in cases which see them given no chance for defence. Human rights groups have regularly condemned Egypt’s judiciary and claimed it is being used as a tool to quash dissent and jail opposition figures.

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