Muslim Brotherhood Spokesperson, Gehad El-Haddad Sentenced to Life in Prison for Speaking to Foreign Journalists

Fourteen defendants received death sentences while thirty seven including Gehad were sentenced to life in prison. Among the convicted are 15 journalists and spokespersons.

 

According to the case evidence list (pp. 25 – 26, excerpts attached in Arabic), the evidence against Gehad is that he “conducted three interviews for the New York Times, an American TV channel (PBS), and a Spanish newspaper (Elmundo)”.

 

In the NYT interview, Gehad said that the MB group came “close to annihilation once under Nasser, but this is worse.” He also added that the crisis “is creating a new tier of youth leaders” and that this “happened at Rabaa.”

 

El-Mundo published a lengthy interview with Gehad in Spanish in which he said “we remain committed to non-violence and will continue the peaceful struggle to restore democracy.” He also added that he cannot give in to offers that exchange the freedom of the country with personal safety and that he “would rather die for the country he wishes to live under the tyranny of a dictator.”

 

“I’m a wanted man for saying my opinion and for standing politically in opposition to the coup” these were Gehad’s statements to the PBS. He added “They’re trying to wipe the existent, decapitate the Muslim Brotherhood. And they can’t do that. It’s an idea. You can’t kill an idea”.

 

Gehad’s family will appeal the verdict.

 

For more information please contact:

Abdullah El-Haddad [email protected] 

Aisha El-Haddad [email protected]

For the family rolling press statement on Gehad and Dr. Essam El-Haddad, please check https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m68ceoxCeDxeCk_ZXwKmWs92FyAVJ4B1NWgc338IFIM/pub