Egypt: Coptic Catholic bishop speaks out against death penalty for 500 members of Muslim Brotherhood

Bishop Kyrillos William

The Coptic Catholic Bishop of Assiut, Kyrillos William, has spoken our against the death sentences which the Court of Minya ruled against 500 members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Bishop William said: "There is the hardness of a judgment that is not final, and we have to wait. But in any case, the Church is against the death penalty. From a Christian conscience point of view, the death penalty can never be the way to solve problems".

The sentences which have been condemned by human rights campaigners around the world, were issued after only two hearings, and were submitted to the Grand Mufti of Egypt, who has the task to ratify or reject them.

Bishop William said: "Many doubt that the Grand Mufti will confirm the sentences. Already on other occasions the judges who issued the ruling had distinguished themselves for having imposed the harshest penalties. But the death penalty cannot be the solution".

The 500 prisoners were accused of various crimes during last year's riots including the murder of three people.

One of the defense lawyers, Mohammed Zarie, head of a centre for the protection of human rights in Cairo said the convictions are "disproportionate and unacceptable". Amnesty International said the court judgment was the largest number of death sentences ever ruled together in the world. Elsewhere in Egypt, policemen convicted of killing unarmed demonstrators have received short prison sentences.

Source: Fides