The Egyptian Court of Cassation rejected the appeal of 7 Egyptian detainees against their death sentences and aggravated imprisonment in the “Sudan State” case, thus making the rulings final and unappealable.
9 defendants are accused in this case, 7 of whom were tried in presence and were able to appeal their sentences, while the other 2 were tried in absentia.
The Cassation and Supreme Constitutional Lawyer, Ahmed Helmy, member of the defence team, stated that the appeals in the Sudan State had 3 main factors proving the appeal ruling is flawed, however the court disregarded it and issued its rulings in the first session.
According to the lawyer, the first factor is the lack of evidence, as the verdicts given against the defendants were based on the investigation report and the testimony of the person who conducted it, without providing any evidence to support these investigations, which cannot be considered as evidence against them, in addition to the lack of explaining the roles attributed to the defendants in the case.
He added: “The second factor is the lack of reasoning, as the charges were contradictory to the police report of arrest, and without the ruling explaining reasons for the charges,” and “the third factor is violating the law and misapplying it”.
On June 26, 2023, the Supreme State Security Criminal Court (Terrorism), sentenced 4 defendants to death including Ahmed Rashad, owner of a real estate office, Mohamed Qasim, a real estate broker and Mohamed Suleiman, a Student, and Saad Al-Desouki, X-ray technician (in absentia).
The court also sentenced one defendant, Sayed El-Deeb, to life imprisonment, and 10 years of aggravated imprisonment to three defendants including Ahmed Owes, Mahmoud Elewa, and Ahmed Al-Murshedy, and sentenced Abdullah Fawzi to 3 years of aggravated imprisonment.
The ruling also provided adding the convicts to the list of terrorists, according to Law No. 8 of 2015 of terrorist entities and terrorists, while obligating the convicts to pay the litigation fees.
According to the investigations of the Supreme State Security Prosecution, the detainees led an unlawful terrorist group between 2019 and 2022, in Al-Sharqiya and Cairo governorates, with the aim of toppling the regime and attacking police officers and public facilities of the Egyptian state, as well as disturbing public order and peace, hindering public authorities and state institutions from carrying out their work, and violating the personal freedom of citizens.
The death sentences were issued by an exceptional court, through exceptional law, which deprives the defendants from enjoying the internationally recognised fair trial standards.
