AFRICAN UNION CALLS ON EGYPT TO 'IMMEDIATELY' SUSPEND DEATH SENTENCES
December 6, 2017: The African Union has called on the Egyptian government to repeal the death sentence in 20 new cases. The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, a body within the AU, has urged the Egyptian government to "immediately suspend" the death sentences. This measure came after the Egyptian Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the party of ousted former President Mohamed Morsi, sent a complaint to the commission on behalf of the prisoners set to be executed. The FJP called on the commission to intervene and order an immediate suspension of the death sentences. "The Egyptian authorities have entirely ignored the commission's moratorium on the death penalty by failing to observe the defendants' right to a fair trial as per the guarantees included in the African Charter and other international treaties," the complaint reads. The complaint also claimed that evidence was gained via confessions through torture and denial of the right of access to lawyers. In one case, evidence in the complaint shows, one of those sentenced to death was in custody at the time of a bomb attack he was alleged to have carried out. The prisoners have all had their death sentences confirmed and are without further rights of appeal. Sixteen face imminent execution, the lawyers representing the case have said. (Sources: middleeasteye.net, 06/12/2017)
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