ASHTON 'CONCERNED' OVER MASS DEATH SENTENCES IN EGYPT

Brussels, 15 Jumadil Akhir 1435/15 April 2014 (MINA) – The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton expressed growing concern on Monday April 14th over the 528 death sentences handed out by an Egyptian court to members of the Muslim Brotherhood in March.

“Every interlocutor was at pains to say to me that this is not what they wanted to see and that it does not mean that this will happen,” said Ashton as she made remarks to the press before attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.

Still, she added the March 24th decison to sentence to death 528 Morsi supporters sent out “very negative signals.”Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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All the defendants, including 397 people who have been tried in absentia, faced charges of committing violence in Minya in August 2013, following the dispersal by security forces of pro-democracy sit-ins in Cairo and Giza, which left hundreds of protesters dead.

Last week, in her fourth visit to Egypt since Morsi’s overthrow by the military last July, Ashton held talks with a number of Egyptian political figures and groups regarding to the forthcoming presidential election to take place in late May.

“My big message to Egypt is and always was the same: this is a strong partnership; we want the people of Egypt to move forward, we do want these elections to herald the beginning of the next phase of life in Egypt, said Ashton. I’m very pleased that the EU is sending an electoral observation mission.”

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The EU foreign policy chief sadt that due to logistical reasons, she could only meet with one candidate, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi , the former Defense Minister and military officer who led last summer’s coup in Egypt.

Egyptians are set to elect a new president on May 26-27 in the second phase of a transitional road map, which should be completed later this year with the holding of parliamentary elections. (T/P012/P04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)