Six men have been sentenced to death by Minya Criminal Court for killing a Copt and burning a church following the disbanding of the [Islamist] Rabaa al-Adawiya sit-in in 2013.
Following the 30 million-strong Egyptian Revolution on 30 June 2013, which toppled the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood (MB) regime that had come to power in the wake of the Arab Spring, MB supporters waged a six-week sit-in in Cairo’s Rabbaa al-Adawiya Square, and Giza’s Nahda Square. When the sit-ins were disbanded by the Egyptian Army and Police in August 2013, the MB retaliated by waging a terror war against Egyptians, particularly Copts, their churches and property, for their support of the Revolution.
According to the provisions of Egyptian law which is based on Islamic sharia, the Court referred the investigation documents to the Mufti to seek his legal advice towards the execution of the death penalty. The Mufti is the senior Muslim cleric who issues fatwas, Islamic legal opinions.
The Court said that the six men: Hassan Ahmed Muhammad Kahil; Muhammad Abdel-Bakqy Abdel-Sattar; Gaber Ibrahim Abdel-Rehim; Aly Maher Fahmy al-Sayad; Yehia Abdel-Ghani Ahmed Abdel-Ghani; and Hassan Abdel-Gawad Gad were involved in riots in the village of Dalga, in Deir Mawwas, Minya, among 45 other defendants, 15 of whom are held in custody. The six men were charged with killing the Copt Iskandar Tous Saqr in front of the Dalga church, and of burning the church.
The six men were charged with belonging to a banned group [the Muslim Brotherhood] that incites violence, chaos and calls for demonstrations and sabotage Church facilities, and the killing of a Copt.
The Court said it would pronounce its final ruling on 3 July 2021 by which time the Mufti would have given his reply.
For full report of the 14 August 2013 attack:
Watani International
11 May 2021