Death sentences upheld in ‘grotesque parody of justice’

An Egyptian court on Saturday issued its final verdict upholding death sentences against 75 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters for their participation in protests following the 2013 ousting of democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi. CNN reports that the mass trial has been widely condemned by human rights organisations, with Amnesty International calling it a ‘grotesque parody of justice’. The 739 defendants were arrested and tried for participating in a month-long sit-in in Cairo to protest against the removal of Morsi. The protest culminated in mass violence, when Egyptian security forces attempted to clear thousands of demonstrators by using automatic weapons, armoured personnel carriers and military bulldozers. Hundreds of people were killed.