国际英语资讯:Egypt sentences 20 to death for killing policemen in 2013_时事

国际英语资讯:Egypt sentences 20 to death for killing policemen in 2013

CAIRO, July 2 -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Sunday 20 people to death over charges of murdering a dozen of policemen while storming a police station in mid-2013, official MENA news agency reported.

The death sentences issued by Cairo Criminal Court can still be appealed.

The assault, known as "Kerdasa massacre," took place in August of 2013, when dozens of militants stormed the main police station in Kerdasa district of Giza province near Cairo, leaving 17 dead, including 14 policemen.

国际英语资讯:Egypt sentences 20 to death for killing policemen in 20131

Most of the militants were loyalists of the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

The incident came more than a month after Morsi's military removal on July 3, 2013 and shortly after a massive security crackdown on two pro-Morsi sit-ins on August 14, 2013 in Cairo and Giza, which left hundreds dead and thousands more arrested.

In the retrial of 156 defendants in the case, including the 20 sentenced to death, the court sentenced 80 defendants to 25 years in prison, 34 to 15 years, a minor to 10 years and acquitted 21.

The case originally involved 188 defendants including fugitives.

In February 2017, the court sentenced 183 of them to death and a minor to 10 years in jail. After appeals, later in February 2016, the Court of Cassation ordered the retrial of 156 of them.

In April 2017, the criminal court recommended death penalty for 20 of them and referred their case documents to the Grand Mufti, the country's interpreter of religious law, to get his religious opinion on their execution. He later approved.