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Egypt sentences show ruling junta’s brutality: Analyst

Monday, 02 January 2017 3:09 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 02 January 2017 3:09 PM ]

This file photo taken on February 25, 2015 shows an Egyptian policeman standing guard outside the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo on February 25, 2015. (Photo by AFP)

Two courts in Egypt have handed down heavy sentences to scores of people as part of the ruling junta’s continued crackdown on supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi.

The junta’s crackdown on the opposition began after Morsi was removed from power in 2013 in a coup led by the then-army chief and now-President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Since then, Egyptian courts have held mass trials for thousands of Morsi supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood organization, which backed Morsi.

An author and journalist believes these heavy sentences are clear examples of the "brutality" and "oppression" of Egypt’s ruling junta, adding that they are issued in an attempt to deter everyone from opposing the military government in the country.

“It is unconstitutional to try civilians in military courts but even the Egyptian judiciary which is really supporting the military coup in Egypt and taking the diktats of Abdel Fattah el- Sisi, the military ruler, is not enough for them because they wanted their own military courts to try the civilians,” Aly el-Kabbany told Press TV in an interview on Monday.

He also stated people who oppose the ruling junta will be tried for “treason” because it is a crime to oppose the government in Egypt.

The analyst also noted the United States was behind the military coup of Abdel Fattah el- Sisi in July 2013, and that the Pentagon is now in daily contact with the president and the Egyptian army generals.

Kabbany further opined that the United States is “very hypocritical” when it comes to democracy in the Middle East because it is against Washington’s interests to have it in this region.

He went on to say the reason why the United States installs military rulers, dictators and autocratic regimes is that it can deal with one person to implement its diktats.

The analyst further argued unless the Egyptian people launch a strong uprising, the policy of crackdown against the opposition will go on forever because the ruling junta will not allow anyone to expose its “scandals, corruption, oppression, and tyranny”.

However, he said, it is expected that the people rise up again against the ruling junta.

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