Egypt's judges rebuff criticism of death sentences

Egypt's Justice Minister today rebuffed international criticism of a mass trial this week in which some 680 defendants were sentenced to death, saying the judiciary is not a tool of executive authority and that rulings can be overturned upon appeal.
"Egyptian judges are independent and there is no control over them," Nayer Osman told reporters. "No one in the state is directing the judge neither a minister, nor an official."
After a death penalty ruling, the prosecutor must appeal along with the defendant in line with normal judicial process, he added. "The judge is a human being. He can make a mistake like any other human being," he said.

Osman added that commenting on the verdicts "is not acceptable by all means ... We don't accept any intervention by any means."
Later in the day, New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned another recent Egyptian court decision: a ban on the April 6 youth organization issued two days ago. The group said it was an "escalation in the government's campaign against all peaceful opposition."
April 6 is an influential group, one of several that engineered the 2011 uprising against longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak that set off nearly three years of unrest. The court ordered the takeover of the group's offices.

"Banning political dissent won't make it go away," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
Also today, a court sentenced 21 Brotherhood supporters including the group's supreme guide and a prominent Salafi preacher to a year in prison with labor for insulting judges during their trial.
Mohammed Badie, the spiritual leader of the banned group was charged along with 19 others for "insulting the court" by turning his back to the room.