Mass death sentences in Egypt/Letter to the Egyptian minister of Foreign Affairs
MASS DEATH SENTENCES IN EGYPT/LETTER TO THE EGYPTIAN MINISTER
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
[This letter also went to the minister of Justice, as on their Facebook pages]
SEE
To the Egyptian minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr Nabil Fahmy
Subject :
Mass Death sentences of 528 people by the criminal Court in Minya
Urgent request to overturn the death sentences
Reason :
Unfair trial, lacking basic due process protections.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person’’
Article 3, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an
independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations
and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 10, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Your Excellency,
By this letter I want to draw your attention for the following :
I have learnt with grave concern of the recent mass death sentences of 528 people by the Criminal Court
in Minya.
Not only I am opposed against the death penalty as such, because of the violation of the universal right to life,
especially I am horrified because, according to the reliable information of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International,
there was no fair trial at all. [1]
And not only Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, also mrs Navy pillay, UN High Commissioner of Human Rights,
has condemned those mass death sentences [2]
The trial was opened at 22 march and at 24 march, 528 people were sentenced to death.
In an hour of time.
That’s unconceivable to me.
The following violations of the right to a fair trial took place :
The trial, opened at 22 march, only lasted an hour, which is unacceptable concerning the great number of defendants.
The prosecution did not put forward evidence implicating any individual defendant, even though it had compiled significant evidence during its investigations.
Court prevented defense lawyers from presenting their case or calling witnesses, which is a fundamental right under
International Law.
The judge also rejected the defence’s request for additional time to review 3,070 pages of case documents,
stating he would deliver the verdict on 24 march.
And most of the defendants were not present, although it’s the right of any defendant to be present at his
own trial. [3]
RECAPITULATING :
It was a mass trial without putting forward evidence against any individual defendant, which is a dangerous case.
The trial was horrifying short.
In an hour the fate of 528 people was sealed.
Defense lawyers were obviously hindered in their task to give judicial assistance to the defendants.
Nearly all the conditions concerning a fair trial were violated.
Not only that’s unacceptable, but especially when death sentence is involved, the greatest accuracy
is of life importance.
EPILOGUE
It is evident, that this mass trial is a very grave violation of the most fundamental human rights,
the right on life and the right to a fair and impartial trial.
I take the liberty to remind you of the fact, that Egypt has signified and ratified the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [4], in which among else is confirmed the right to life [article 6] and the right to a fair trial [article 14]
High principles which are written in the heart of humanity, which is the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights [5]
I do an urgent appeal to you, to use your influence to overturn those death sentences, which
lacked the most fundamental human rights.
There are lives of human beings involved here.
And human life is the most precious on earth.
I trust I don’t appeal to you in vain
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
[1]
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
EGYPT : 528 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER MASS TRIAL
28 MARCH 2014
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
EGYPT : SHOCKING DEATH SENTENCES FOLLOW SHAM TRIAL
25 MARCH 2014
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/24/egypt-shocking-death-sentences-follow-sham-trial
[2]
BBC NEWS
MASS EGYPT DEATH SENTENCES ’’BREACH INTERNATIONAL LAW’’
25 MARCH 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26726901
[3]
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
EGYPT : 528 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER MASS TRIAL
28 MARCH 2014
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
EGYPT : SHOCKING DEATH SENTENCES FOLLOW SHAM TRIAL
25 MARCH 2014
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/24/egypt-shocking-death-sentences-follow-sham-trial
[4]
RATIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
TREATIES-EGYPT
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/ratification-egypt.html
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/b3ccpr.htm
[5]
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/