Press Statement by the Freedom and Justice Party Following the Final Verdict on the Execution of President Morsi

Press Statement by the Freedom and Justice Party Following the Final Verdict on the Execution of President Morsi
Today, June 16th 2015, the final verdict against the first democratically elected President of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi was issued – condemning him to death, along with more than a hundred of other Egyptians, while others were sentenced to life imprisonment.
 

In July 2013, General Abdel-Fattah Al-Sissi led a military coup that plunged Egypt back into its darkest past, with the tacit support of numerous Western countries. Since then, more than 1,500 men and women have been sentenced to death in unfair and dubious trials, last of which is the sentence issued against President Morsi and his supporters.
 

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) deplores this highly tragic politicised decision, which demonstrates that the highest religious and judiciary bodies of Egypt are willing to join the current regime in willfully ignoring the fundamental principles justice and most basic human rights.
 

The FJP will continue to call for the international community to press General Abdel-Fattah Al-Sissi’s military regime to immediately withdraw both this death and life imprisonment sentences and all the charges. The FJP continues to maintain these charges are wholly fabricated and lacking in any credible evidence. President Morsi’s trial has fallen far below the most basic international legal standards.
 

Today’s announcement is another nail in the coffin for democracy in Egypt. It is a culmination of almost two years of an erosion of human rights in the country since the military coup: more than 40,000 political dissents are in jail, thousands of protestors have been killed, journalists are incarcerated, torture and rape are used daily as a weapon against political prisoners.
 

Amr Darrag, a former Minister of President Morsi’s government, comments:
 

“All of us who continue to fight for freedom, democracy and human rights in Egypt deplore today’s grave decision. It is a historical peak of the tragedy currently unfolding in Egypt.
 

We call the international community to realize how grossly wrong it is to support such a bloody regime, for obvious human rights’ sakes and for the whole feverish region’s future. We call the international community to do anything in its power to stop this cruel dictatorship to further destroy Egypt. We call the international community and the media to face the human rights’ reality of this country.
 

The January 2011 Revolution’s dreams are bleeding to death while Rafales and power plants deals are signed. The NGOs and all the opposition parties have spent the last months warning the international press and the Western leaders of what is happening in Egypt. This cannot be ignored any longer.
 

Our fear regarding today’s final verdict is not just about Dr Morsi. It is about the highest symbol of democracy that is about to be crushed in blood.”
 

Yehia Hamed, also a Minister in President Morsi’s government adds:
 

“ We are determined to free our country from this oppressive dictatorship. All civil and peaceful means will be used but the international community must stop swallowing Sissi’s propaganda.
 

We are extremely concerned that this repression – and today’s sentences – will lead some people to renounce non-violent protest.
 

We reject all violent means of protest: our movement is a democratic one, and we will never deviate from this code. However, Sissi is forcing many within Egypt to believe violence is the only way to counter his regime, and this in turn strengthens the hand of ISIS and other extremist militant groups. The international community must react now"