KEADILAN Youth is deeply disheartened by the recent spate of death sentences imposed on Egyptian leaders and activists, including deposed President Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and esteemed cleric Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi (our own Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah) over a number of charges.
Indeed, another 105 people have also been sentenced to death by Egyptian courts.
As Amnesty International has stated in the case of President Morsi, äóìCondemning Mohamed Morsi to death after more grossly unfair trials shows a complete disregard for human rights. His trials were undermined even before he set foot in the courtroom. The fact that he was held for months incommunicado without judicial oversight and that he didnäó»t have a lawyer to represent him during the investigations makes these trials nothing but a charade based on null and void procedures.
I am keen to agree with Turkish President, Reccep Tayyip Erdogan who has condemned the act saying, “Egypt has turned into ancient Egypt”.
It is difficult to argue with his statement that the West is still turning a blind eye to Sisi’s coup and that they remain mere spectators at this execution (of the death sentence) in Egypt even though they abolish the death sentence in their own country.
It is very disappointing that no Malaysian government figure has yet spoken out against the various death sentences. Is it because we are embarrassed by our own abuse of the judicial institution?
This also comes in light of Malaysians continued inaction over the growing Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Southeast Asia.
This is lackadaisical behaviour on the part of the Chair of ASEAN as well as a member of the UN Security Council is deeply worrying and a complete let-down.
This is far different from our tradition of fighting for justice in South Africa, Bosnia Herzegovina, Palestine, Thailand and the Philippines.
KEADILAN Youth urges the government of Malaysia to pressure the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt to rescind the death sentences and embark on a substantive program of political reconciliation. At the same time, it must mobilize regional support to end the violence and oppression against Burma’s Rohingya community as well as find a humanitarian solution to the refugee issue.
