FCO Minister concerned by sentencing of 230 people by Egyptian court

6 Feb 2015 11:10 AM

Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood concerned by sentencing of Ahmed Douma and 229 others to life imprisonment in Egypt.

Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said yesterday:

I am deeply concerned by the sentencing of activist Ahmed Douma and 229 others to life imprisonment today and that 39 juveniles were sentenced to 10 years in detention, on charges relating to demonstrations in 2011. It is important that reports of serious procedural inconsistencies in the trial should be addressed.

Mass trials and excessive sentences of this kind damage the international community’s confidence in the rule of law in Egypt. I encourage the Egyptian authorities to ensure that all trials in Egypt are conducted in line with international standards and that there is full respect for defendants’ human rights.

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