Egyptian court sentences 24 Muslim Brotherhood members to death over attacking police

CAIRO – 29 July 2021: A Beheira criminal court sentenced on Thursday 24 Muslim Brotherhood members to death over attacking police, a statement read.

The court sentenced 16 of the convicts, including 6 in absentia, to death over blasting a police bus in Rashid city, causing the death of three.

The eight other convicts, including two in absentia, received a death sentence over assassinating a policeman while leaving his house.

Three convicts in the case had the legal case against them cancelled for their death.

In 2015, the convicts blew an explosive device near a village in Rashid, where a bus carrying police personnel was passing.

The blast killed three policemen and wounded 33 others.

Egypt, since 2014, has labeled the Muslim Brotherhood group as a terrorist organization.

Courts have been trying several members and leaders of the group in terrorism-related charges, with many of them had their death sentences upheld.

The Court of Cassation upheld prison sentences against prominent Muslim Brotherhood leaders over spying with the Palestinian Hamas group.

Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and other leaders including Khairat El-Shater, Saad El-Husseiny, and Mohamed El-Beltagy had their life prison sentence upheld.

The court also rejected the appeal of other defendants in the case who received imprisonment sentences ranging from seven years.

The court also ordered terminating the case against Essam El-Erian for his death.

A criminal court handed prison sentences to the defendants in the case in September 2019.

The defendants faced accusations of spying and communicating with foreign organizations to destabilize the country’s security and stability. The court, headed by Judge Mohamed Shereen Fahmy, also accused them with coordinating with violent groups outside the country in order to plan for hostile acts.

The investigations revealed that the MB leaders communicated and coordinated with Takfiri groups located in Sinai to carry out a number of terrorist attacks against several vital buildings and facilities. Other elements were directed by the outlawed group's ex-leaders to spread rumors to mislead the public opinion in Egypt for the favor of the terrorist group.

According to the Prosecution representative’s statements, the MB was also working to enhance communication links with MB fugitives in Turkey and Qatar.