Egypt’s highest court upheld on Monday the death sentences given to 20 people convicted over a deadly attack on a police station in 2013. The Court of Cassation, whose rulings are final and cannot be appealed, also confirmed the life sentences handed out to 80 defendants and 15-year prison terms for 34 others.
The court issued a final verdict of executing 20 extremists who are supporters of former president Mohammed Morsi and life-imprisonment for others, after being convicted of killing 13 policemen in an attack against a police station west Cairo in 2013. This assault is known in the media as 'Kerdasa massacre'.
On August 14, 2013, an attack took place on a police station in Kerdasa that is a city in Giza.
The convicted were previously re-trialed, after another criminal court issued in February 2015 an execution sentence in the case of 183 accused in the case – further, a minor was sentenced 10-years in prison. However, the cassation court abolished the sentence and ordered a retrial of 156 convicted.
In the second time, the criminal court issued sentences of imprisonment and execution, which were upheld by the cassation court on Monday – the court acquitted 21.
International human rights organizations criticize what they call collective execution sentences in cases of political prospects in Egypt – however, the Egyptian authorities reject this criticism, affirming that the judiciary is independent and integral.
