Cassation Court to rule on ‘Rabaa Operation Room’ trial

CAIRO – 13 April 2018: Egypt’s Court of Cassation will hand down on Saturday its unchallenged ruling on the retrial of former Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie over charges of inciting violence in the “Rabaa operation room case”.

Badie, along with 17 other defendants, have appealed against court verdicts ranging from life imprisonment to five years in jail.

The defendants were charged of orchestrating a plan to spread chaos and violence across Egypt following the dispersal of the 2013 Rabaa and Nahda sit-ins. On May 8, 2017, the Giza Criminal Court sentenced Badie and two other defendants to life imprisonment (25 years). Meanwhile, 15 other defendants were sentenced to five years in prison each, and 21 others were acquitted.

The 18 convicts have challenged the Giza Court’s ruling before the Court of Cassation.

The defendants were charged with setting up an operations room to direct the movement and actions of the Brotherhood’s members in the streets after the August 2013 dispersal, and ordering the arson of churches and public properties.

Badie, 74, was the eighth leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB) organization. He became leader of the organization in 2010 after the death of his predecessor, Madi Akef.

He was arrested on August 19, 2013 as part of a nation-wide crackdown on Brotherhood leaders in the wake of increasing violence and protests after two Brotherhood sit-ins were forcefully dispersed on August 14, 2013.

Badie was found guilty in the trial of “cutting-off Qalyoub Road”, in which 36 others were also convicted in October 2016. He is still being tried in 11 known cases, mainly over charges of “inciting violence.” However, he stated in a hearing over charges of inciting violence in Minya that he is facing 48 trials, Masrawy reported on February 28.

Arab Police Station Case

On May, 9 2017, the Court of Cassation revoked verdicts ranging from 10 years in prison to life against Badie and 49 co-defendants over charges of inciting violence in August 2013.

The court accepted only 50 defendants’ appeals against charges of inciting violence outside the Al-Arab police station in the coastal city of Port Said; the court ordered a retrial.

In August 2015, the Port Said Criminal Court handed down sentences of 25 years in prison against 95 Brotherhood leaders (19 in absentia and 76 fugitives), and 10 years in prison against 28 others; in the same trial, a total of 68 other defendants were acquitted of the charges.

Espionage for Hamas

Badie and former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, with 20 co-defendants, are being retried over charges of “spying” for Palestine’s Gaza-based Hamas movement.

According to the prosecution, the defendants are charged with “leaking classified information” to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hamas and Hezbollah about national security and the Armed Forces.

In the first trial, Badie was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Brotherhood leader Khairat al-Shater and two others were sentenced to death.

Rabaa Dispersal Case

The Criminal Court of Cairo is considering another case that is publicly known as the “Rabaa sit-in dispersal case”, in which Badie is being charged with “staging an armed gathering in Rabaa Square, illegally possessing and handling weapons, blocking driveways, and deliberately vandalizing public property, along with other counts relating to murdering policemen and citizens.”

Prison Break

He and 27 co-defendants are being tried in the case of breaking into Egyptian prisons, known as the break-in of the eastern border in 2011.

The retrial of the defendants came after the Court of Cassation overturned in November the sentences issued by the Criminal Court to execute Morsi, Badie, his deputy Rashad al-Bayoumi, Morsi's adviser Mohye Hamed, former Parliament Speaker Mohamed el-Katatny and leading MB figure Essam el-Erian, and to punish 20 other defendants with life imprisonment.

Guidance Bureau Incidents

Badie and 12 other defendants are being retried by the Cairo Criminal Court over charges of inciting murder against peaceful demonstrators outside the MB Guidance Bureau in Moqattam, Cairo in 2013.

In February 2015, Badie and Shater were sentenced to life imprisonment, while four others were handed down death verdicts. In January 2016, the Court of Cassation overturned the verdicts and ordered the retrial.

Al-Bahr Al-Azam Case

On May 27, the Cairo Criminal Court will issue its ruling in the “al-Bahr al-Azam case”, in which Badie and 13 other Brotherhood members are being retried.

In September 2014, the defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment over charges of “inciting clashes” in al-Bahr al-Azam district, Giza, causing death of five people. However, the Court of Cassation overturned the verdicts on November 8, 2015.

Istiqama Mosque

Following the ouster of former President Morsi on July 3, 2013, pro-Muslim Brotherhood protests calling for his reinstatement clashed with security forces and residents outside Istiqama Mosque in Giza.

Badie and 13 co-defendants were charged with killing 10 and attempting to murder 20 others in the clashes.

On August 30, 2014, Badie and seven others were sentenced to life imprisonment, while six others were sentenced to death. The rulings were also overturned and a retrial was ordered.

El Idwa Incidents

Following the Rabaa sit-in dispersal on August 14, 2013, the city of El Idwa in Minya governorate witnessed acts of violence and vandalism, during which a police station was attacked and a police officer was killed.

Badie is being charged over inciting violence in the clashes. The prosecution showed a violence-inciting statement signed by him. However, Badie has denied the charges. The case also includes 682 co-defendants.

They are also charged with storming a number of state-owned institutions, such as the agriculture unit, veterinary center and the real estate office in the city.

In April 2014, the Minya Criminal Court sentenced all defendants to death. However, a retrial was ordered after overturning the ruling by the Court of Cassation.

Ismailia Incidents

A total of 105 defendants, including Badie, are being tried in the “Ismailia incidents case”. They face charges of inciting violence, and killing and injuring people in clashes between pro-Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security forces outside the Brotherhood office in Ismailia in July 2014.

Badie and 35 co-defendants were handed down life imprisonment sentences in May 2016. However, a retrial was ordered.

Suez Incidents

Badie and Brotherhood members Mohamed El-Beltagy and Safwat Hegazy were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a military court in December 2015 over charges of inciting riots.

Following the Rabaa dispersal, clashes erupted between the protesters and security forces, killing five people.

In 2015, the court also sentenced a total of 90 co-defendants to life imprisonment in absentia and acquitted 50 others. The appeal submitted by Badie against the ruling was accepted and a retrial was ordered.

Beni Suef Incidents

The Beni Suef Criminal Court is considering a retrial against Badie and 92 other defendants over charges of “setting fire” to state institutions, including a police station, a school and a prosecution building, following the dispersal of the Rabaa sit-in.