Egypt court due to deliver final verdicts in Brotherhood caseJune 21, 2014 - 09:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A court in Egypt is due to deliver Saturday, June 21, final verdicts for hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters accused of attacking a police station in 2013, according to BBC News. A judge recommended the death penalty for the 683 defendants, in a mass trial in April that drew widespread criticism from human rights groups. Mohammed Badie, leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, is among them. The military-installed government has sentenced at least 1,000 of its opponents since December. Authorities have cracked down harshly on Islamists since former President Mohammed Morsi, who belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood, was removed by the military in July 2013 following mass protests. The verdict is due to be delivered by a court in the town of Minya, south of Cairo, the BBC says. The defendants face charges over an attack on a police station in Minya on August 14, 2013, in which policemen were killed. Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters were also killed in clashes with police in Cairo that day. Defense lawyers called the mass trial "farcical" and said many of those accused were not present during the clashes. Following April's trial, the recommended death sentences were referred to the Grand Mufti - Egypt's top Islamic authority - for review. The court was due to consider his opinion before issuing its final decision. On Thursday, Badie and 13 others were also given recommended death sentences over a separate case involving deadly clashes last year. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |