Can harsh sentences bring stability?
Egyptian judiciary stands accused of being a tool used by the military to crackdown on anti-coup activists.
More than 100 supporters of Egypt’s deposed President Mohamed Morsi were sentenced to ten years in jail on Saturday, on charges of killing and inciting violence.
Earlier this week, another Egyptian court sentenced the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and 682 supporters to death, intensifying the crackdown and drawing international criticism.
Thousands of the group’s members and supporters have been arrested since last July. In November, the Brotherhood was declared a terrorist organisation. Other activists have also been targeted because they have voiced objection to the coup.
This all comes as former army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who led the removal of Morsi, is expected to win the presidential election; expected to be held on May 26-27.
On Inside Egypt, an in-depth discussion on the continuing crackdown and its impact on the country’s transition.
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Sahar Aziz – associate professor of Law at Texas A&M University and president of the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association
Nicholas Piachaud – North Africa campaigner for Amnesty International, Egypt researcher
James Boys – visiting research fellow at King’s College London