The Grand Mufti is reviewing death sentences of 37 Muslim Brotherhood supporters and 719 others in four different cases since the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsy on 3 July of last year.
Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie is facing two death sentences in separate cases.
This is the second time death sentences have been sent to the Grand Mufti since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assumed office in early June. The first was on 18 June for killing of a policeman in Kerdasa.
On 28 April, a Minya court issued the death sentence for 37 Brotherhood supporters on charges of killing a policeman and attempting to kill two others, committing acts of violence and storming a police station. The verdict was challenged by Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat
The other four cases are:
A case for 683 supporters of Morsy, including the supreme guide, on charges of committing acts of violence and storming police stations in Minya, which a court will reconsider on 21 June.
A case pertaining to blocking the Qalyoub highway in which 10 Brotherhood supporters were sentenced to death and 38 others will be decided upon on 5 July.
A case pertaining to the killing of police officer Nabil Farag in Kerdasa, which 12 Morsy supporters are facing a final verdict on 6 August.
The Al-Istiqama Mosque case in which the supreme guide and 13 others are charged with killing nine people and attempting to kill 21 others in the vicinity of the Al-Istiqama Mosque in Giza Square on 22 July 2013. The final verdict will be issued on 3 August.
According to Egyptian law, these sentences can be appeal before the Court of Cassation.
The Grand Mufti’s opinion is not binding, for a judge may rule to execute the verdict even if the mufti does not agree.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
