- Human RightsMilitary TribunalPrisoners of Conscience
- March 24, 2008
- 2 minutes read
Military Court Decides Tuseday Fate of 40 Egyptian Reformers

A military court in Cairo will decide on Tuesday March 25t, the fate of 40 Muslim Brotherhood leaders after a year long trial whch captured the attention of human rights activists throughout the world.
The politically motivated trial was condemned by human righs groups for its flaws and flagrant violations of due process. The Egyptian government referred promoninent MB leaders and reformers to military tribunals despite the fact that they are civilans and were already acquitted four times by civilian courts. Egyptian authorities have also prevented several international monitors from Europe and the U.S. from attending trial’s sessions and have ignored repeated calls by major human rights organizations to allow observers inside court room.
Political analysts are equally divided on tomorrow’s verdict. Many expect that rulling will be issued tomorrow, while others predict the verdict to be postponed till after the minicipal elections and use it to pressure the Muslim Brotherhood for political concessions
On the other hand, a group of American NGO human rights acitvists has arrived to Cairo in an attempt to attend and monitor the course of Tuesday”s session. The group includes includes Zachary Wolfe, a professor at Washington university, a lawyer at National Labor Relations Council in Washington, Dr. Marvin Morgan, a bishop in the United Methodist Church in North Carolina , Brooklyn , New York , Atlanta and Burlington from 1970 till 1996. He is currently a coordinator of religious human rights organizations in the United States. Clayton Ramy, a member in the peacekeeping institution and a top human rights activist.
Abdul Moneim Abdul Maqsoud, a Muslim Brotherhood lawyer and a member of the defense team, confirmed to Ikhwanweb that he hoped that this session may end the suffering these reformers and families have been facing for more than 1 1/2 years. However, he did not exclude the possibility the verdict may be postponed and used as bargaining chip iby the regime n the local councils elections scheduled to be held next, April, 8th.