The Egyptian justice system was deemed ‘politicised’ after evidence used against 51 alleged Muslim Brotherhood supporters was criticised by Human Rights Watch as in sufficient in a statement released on Sunday.
The deputy Middle East and North Africa director, Joe Stork, commenting on the life sentences, said,
“The fact that people who covered and publicised mass killings in 2013 could go to prison for life or be executed while the killers walk free captures the abject politicisation of justice in Egypt.”
“This trial appears to be simply another effort by the Egyptian government to silence its opponents,” Mr Stork added.
The defendants included 10 journalists and seven people who worked as Brotherhood spokespeople for Brotherhood-owned news outlets, including a 27 year old Egyptian American, Mohamed Soltan, who volunteered to arrange news coverage of a mass sit in, and was sentenced to life in prison.
The Egyptian court on April 11 sentenced 14 men to death and 37 others to life in prison for their actions which were actions which were alleged to be against the ousting of the former Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Mursi.