Egypt jails 43 ‘Muslim Brotherhood members’

An Egyptian court yesterday issued prison sentences against 43 people accused of being leaders and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Of those jailed, 23 were handed life terms while four were acquitted. They were found guilty of “joining a terrorist group and forging official documents.”

Yahya Moussa and Alaa Al-Samahi were sentenced in absentia as they are both living in exile in Turkey.

The court sentenced 18 defendants to 15 years, including Hossam Ahmed, Jamal Sultan, Karim Sayed, Ahmed Galal, Youssef Mohamed, Ahmed Ali Awad, Hisham Al-Sayed, Ayman Tariq, Ahmed El-Sayed, Mohamed El-Sayed, Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel-Aal, Sami Mahmoud, Khaled Mohamed Shaaban, Mohamed El-Sayed Khamis, Saleh Abdel Rahim, Mohamed Mahmoud, Hani Mahrous and Amr Fadl.

The court acquitted Hadi Mohamed, Rajaa El-Sayed, Mohamed Mustafa and Raya Abdullah of charges relating to mediation to pay a bribery. It also ruled that lawsuits against Ahmed Abdel Nabi and Khamis Abdel-Aal could be dropped as they have both died.

Since the military overthrow of the first elected civilian president, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013, the Egyptian judiciary has held continuous trials against members and leaders of the Brotherhood. The group was ban soon after the coup and those who stand up against the coup are labelled as Brotherhood supporters even when they oppose the group.

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