Egypt jails 25 Islamists

2008-04-15 18:13

Cairo - An Egyptian military court jailed 25 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood on Tuesday, some for up to 10 years, for financing a banned organisation and acquitted 15 others, a court official said.

The Brotherhood's number three Khayrat al-Shater and fellow leader Hassan Malek were jailed for seven years while seven others were sentenced in absentia to 10 years in what rights groups called "a subversion of justice."

Sixteen others were jailed for between 18 months and five years, following a repeatedly delayed verdict that has no right of appeal because it was issued by a military tribunal.

Trying to topple regime

Egyptian authorities accused the Muslim Brotherhood, which controls a fifth of the seats in parliament, of seeking to revive its underground military wing and of eventually trying to topple the regime.

"This is an unjust and extremely strange judgement. These are political verdicts ... which reflect the regime's extreme violence towards the Muslim Brotherhood," the group's number two Mohammed Habib told AFP.

Hundreds of Brothers were rounded up in the run-up to the April 8 municipal elections in what the Islamists said was a reflection of the regime's fear of their rise to power.

Attempt to silence Brothers?

The fact that the case was tried in a military court has fed accusations that the politically charged trial was part of a broader policy of silencing the powerful group.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which describes itself as a moderate organisation that wants to bring Islamic law to Egypt, has been outlawed since 1954.

The group's representatives must sit in parliament as independents because of its illegal status.

The latest crackdown has especially targeted the organisation's funding, freezing its assets and arresting prominent businesspeople associated with the movement.

Human rights groups opposition

Human rights groups have voiced opposition to the use of military courts to try civilians. They have also criticised the exclusion of independent observers from the courtroom.

The accused were referred to the military court by presidential decree after a number of them were cleared on the same charges by a civilian criminal court.

- AFP