Will Executions in Egypt Come to an End?!

#Statement

Justice for Human Rights-JHR

Istanbul-Turkey Tuesday- 23^rd May 2023

Will Executions in Egypt Come to an End?!

As part of the persistence of the Egyptian judiciary to issue death sentences that lack guarantees of justice, a judgment was issued on Monday May 22^nd, 2023, to refer the defendants in the “Platform Events” case to the Grand Mufti of the Republic – asking for his opinion to execute them.

The civil defendants are political detainees; 6 in attendance, 2 in absentia;

Dr. Mohamed Badie – Full-time Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine – Beni Suef University.
Dr. Mahmoud Ezzat, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University.
Dr. Mohamed El-Beltagy, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University.
D. Osama Yassin, a pediatrician, former minister of youth.
Mr. Amr Zaki, an engineer and politician.
Dr. Safwa Mahmoud Higazi, “known as Safwat Higazi”, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Company for Satellite Channels,
In absentia: Mr. Assem Abdulmagid and Sheik. Mohamed Abd al-Maqsoud;

The case known in the media as the “Platform Events,” took place on the evening of July 26^th, 2013, and lasted until the following morning, in which more than 100 citizens were killed, and thousands of demonstrators were injured – due to excessive force by police forces and live bullets,

The decision was issued by an extraordinary court – the Emergency State Security Court, whose rulings are final and enforceable, cannot be challenged, and deprives the sentenced person of reconsideration before another court,

Three of the defendants included in this referral judgment are already facing death sentences in another case, “Rabaa Dispersal” case. They are (El-Beltagy-Osama Yassin- Safwat Higazi)

The death penalty is a cruel punishment that is abused in Egypt, especially in cases that have a criminal appearance, but are political in reality. Such cases are built on one purpose which is to suppress civilian politicians who oppose the Egyptian government.

Egypt ranked third in the world for two consecutive years among the world’s top executioners.

JHR affirms its position against the death penalty and against unfair sentences handed down in violation of fair trial guarantees, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that the death penalty is the most cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

It is well known that issuing death sentences, rather than carrying them out, must be surrounded by legal and judicial guarantees – which must be respected and observed. This requires a fair and independent judiciary, and that does not exist in light of the political rivalries, and the control imposed by the executive authority over the judicial authority in Egypt, which has resulted in more than 2000 death sentences in the past 9 years, 105 carried out political executions, and 95 political citizens on death row.

JHR calls for a global advocacy campaign to prevent the death penalty in the “Platform Events” case, which is to be final in the coming September 20^th session.

We also call for vigils in front of Egyptian embassies and consulates in all countries of the world, as well as other events that condemn and reject arbitrary execution in Egypt, and demand a moratorium on all executions.