Egypt Court Upholds Death Sentences for 75 in Connection with 2013 Protests

An Egyptian court has upheld death sentences for 75 individuals related to the 2013 sit-in protests, sentencing hundreds of others to prison. These 75 were sentenced to death in August of this year. According to Reuters, the Cairo criminal court on Saturday, September 7, confirmed the death sentences for these 75, while sentencing over 600 others to prison. The court session, held in Tora prison south of Cairo, saw several Islamist leaders, including Essam El-Erian and Mohamed El-Beltagy, two senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Safwat Hegazy, an Egyptian preacher, sentenced to death by hanging. Reports indicate that Mohamed Badie, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, and dozens of others were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the remaining defendants received prison sentences ranging from five to 15 years. The convicted individuals have 60 days to appeal the verdicts. These sentences are linked to the protests of 2013, organized by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, who had been deposed and imprisoned following a coup led by General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Security forces violently suppressed the protests on August 14, 2013, resulting in over 800 deaths, according to human rights groups. Months later, the Egyptian government designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and arrested many of its members and supporters. The government claims that many protesters were armed and that eight security personnel were killed during the clashes. Following the court's ruling on Saturday, Amnesty International condemned the verdict, calling the court 'shameful.' The organization described the trial as a 'mockery of justice,' noting that not a single police officer was held accountable during the proceedings. Other human rights groups have also criticized the conduct of the trial, including the detention of many protesters and journalists. One of the detained individuals, Mahmoud Abu Zeid, a photojournalist, was sentenced to five years in prison on Saturday. However, according to informed sources, Abu Zeid is expected to be released soon as he has already served five years of his sentence while in detention. The death sentences require final approval from the current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to be carried out. Additionally, the Grand Mufti of Egypt must provide an opinion on the legality of these sentences, although his opinion is not binding.