An Egyptian Court Sentences 183 Muslim Brotherhood Supporters to Death

An Egyptian court on Monday, February 1, sentenced 183 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to death for the murder of police officers. According to Reuters, the crime of these individuals was participation in the killing of 16 police officers in the city of Kerdasa during events in August 2013, which occurred after the military ousted Mohamed Morsi. 34 of the defendants were sentenced to death in absentia. Reuters states that this ruling is part of a severe and ongoing crackdown on Islamists in Egypt. Following the ousting of Mohamed Morsi, the first democratically elected president of Egypt, the military initiated the most extensive wave of repression against the Muslim Brotherhood in the country's history. The arrest of thousands of Brotherhood supporters and their mass trials have drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which accuse the Egyptian government of systematic repression of dissent. Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated: 'These death sentences are another example of the unjust nature of Egypt's judicial system. The announced punishments should be revoked, and all those convicted should be retried in another court according to fair and international standards without the death penalty.' The sentences announced on Monday came a day after the release of Peter Greste, an Australian journalist for Al Jazeera, who had been imprisoned in Egypt for 400 days on charges of aiding terrorist groups (the Muslim Brotherhood). Two of his colleagues from Al Jazeera remain in prison. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt, who as commander of the armed forces ousted Mohamed Morsi, describes the Muslim Brotherhood as a significant security threat. However, the group claims to adhere to the principles of peaceful activism. The death sentences issued on Monday coincide with a wave of unprecedented deadly attacks against Egyptian security forces. The Egyptian branch of the Islamic State (formerly ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated operations that left 27 dead last week. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi identified the Muslim Brotherhood as responsible for this violence, stating in a televised speech to the Egyptian people that the war against militants will be long and difficult. Egyptian officials do not distinguish between the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State, and al-Qaeda, claiming that they all share an ideology and are equally dangerous. Since the ousting of Mohamed Morsi, Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters and arrested thousands more. Following the reading of the death sentences on Monday, Muslim Brotherhood supporters in metal cages loudly insulted police officers. One defense attorney told the Islamists: 'You have God.' Following the killing of a female activist named Shaima Sabagh during protests on January 24 in Cairo, and the anniversary of the protests that led to the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, human rights violations in the country are being monitored more closely. The Egyptian Ministry of Interior has promised to conduct further investigations into this matter. The Ministry stated that separately, a police officer has been arrested on suspicion of killing a suspect in the Muslim Brotherhood while he was hospitalized for injuries sustained from explosives. The Ministry said that this man provoked the police officer by insulting him, and 'the police officer lost control of his emotions.' In this context, the Egyptian court has listed the military wing of Hamas as a terrorist organization.