Reuters is reporting that the Mohamed Badie, the Supreme Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, along with 182 Brotherhood supporters have had their death sentences confirmed in connection with violence that occurred following the deposition of former President Morsi last July. According to the report:
June 21, 2014 CAIRO — An Egyptian court confirmed death sentences on Saturday against the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and 182 supporters in a mass trial of the Islamists who ruled Egypt for a year but face a fierce crackdown under the new president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Badie, and other defendants were charged in connection with violence that erupted in the southern town of Minya after the military ousted President Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood leader, last July. One police officer was killed in the violence.
The court’s decision came two months after it referred the case against Mr. Badie, the spiritual leader of the now-outlawed Brotherhood, and 682 other defendants to a top religious authority, the first step in imposing death penalties. Those preliminary sentences set off outrage among Western governments and rights groups, with the United States and European Union both saying they were appalled by the rulings.
Amnesty International described the verdicts as ‘the latest example of the Egyptian judiciary’s bid to crush dissent.’
There was no immediate reaction on the ruling from the Brotherhood, whose members are either in jail or on the run. The Brotherhood is Egypt’s oldest, most organized and successful political group.
Read the rest here.
As we reported last week, the Reuters article noted:
In a separate case, a Cairo court referred Mr. Badie and 13 Brotherhood supporters on Thursday to the Mufti, a top religious authority, on charges of murder and firearms possession related to clashes during the protests last July. Mr. Badie and other senior Brotherhood leaders, including Mr. Morsi, are standing trial in other cases.
GMBDW reporting on the various charges facing Dr. Badie has included:
- The GMBDW reported in April that an Egyptian court had recommended the death sentence for Dr. Badie and 682 Brotherhood supporters in connection with the Minya case.
- The GMBDW reported in March on the first mass sentencing.
- In August 2013, we reported on the arrest of Dr. Badie.
In July 2010, we reported on the election of Dr. Badie as the new Supreme Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
For details on the life and thought of Dr. Badie, go here.