After two hearings, Egyptian court issues death sentence verdict for 529 people

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0324/After-two-hearings-Egyptian-court-issues-death-sentence-verdict-for-529-people

In what appears to be the largest such mass sentencing in modern times, an Egyptian court has convicted 529 people of capital crimes, a move that has stunned human rights defenders who decry deep systemic biases in the country's politicized judiciary.

The defendants are all members of the Muslim Brotherhood, which held power until last July and has since been outlawed and labeled a terrorist group. The court convicted them today of involvement in an attack on a police station in Minya last Aug. 14 that left one policeman dead. It came on the same day as a bloody crackdown by police on a protest camp in Cairo that killed hundreds and which Egypt's new rulers continue to defend as just.

While legal experts say that the sentences are likely to be overturned on appeal, rejected by Egypt’s grand mufti, or commuted by the president, the rulings drew stinging criticism from both domestic and international rights groups.

...

Egypt rarely issues the death penalty, even during periods of political repression. Between 1992 and 2001, when former President Hosni Mubarak led a crackdown, only 94 people were sentenced to death. The rate has increased since the 2011 revolution, but rights groups say it remains unclear whether any sentences have been carried out.

...

Although unprecedented in scale, Monday's mass verdict points to a broader set of legal failings in the Egyptian penal system. As Egypt's military-backed government has tried to erase Mr. Morsi's movement from political life, these failings have been brought to the fore. Authorities have also cracked down on secular dissidents who rose to prominence during the revolt against Mr. Mubarak and don't share the Brotherhood's Islamist politics

According to state officials, around 16,000 people have been arrested since July 3. An independent count by Cairo-based rights group the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights puts the figure at closer to 24,000.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Good Lord.

[deleted-05292014 331]

What they trying to do, compete with Texas?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What they trying to do, compete with Texas?

Interesting thought.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

If they are & if all 529 are indeed executed = They just took the lead.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/number-executions-state-and-region-1976

[Janelle2002 3,865]

What they trying to do, compete with Texas?

They will lose against Texas.

However, this is just madness to sentence that many people to death.

[deleted-05292014 331]

Yeah makes me wonder how many innocent poor people have been put to death in Texas out of that 511 number - of course Egypt is equally as bad. to me the death penalty is barbaric form of punishment.

I just read that some of our states are wanting to bring back firing squads, hanging, and electrocution since the lethal injection drug that is used is not being sold to prisons anymore. I guess on a side note to the global economy, ain't that a B* you have to import ways to kill your own citizens we can't even in source that. The worse is N.Korea, I bet they are #1 in the world and we just don't have the data to prove it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's quite embarrassing that there's even a basis for comparing a US state to a country like Egypt, isn't it?