Muslim scholars condemn Egypt executions

By Muhammed Shekh Yusuf

ISTANBUL (AA) – The International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has condemned the execution of nine youths by the Egyptian authorities in connection with the assassination of the country's attorney-general in 2015.

"IUMS has received with great sadness and sorrow the news of executing nine innocent youths…after being forced to confess," the Doha-based bloc said in a statement on Monday.

Last week, Egyptian authorities executed nine youths convicted of assassinating Attorney-General Hisham Barakat, who was killed in a car bombing in Cairo in 2015.

The son of senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Taha Wahdan was among those condemned to death.

Citing estimates by human rights groups, the IUMS said the Egyptian authorities have issued 2,532 death sentences since 2013.

"More than 170 people have been executed by [Egyptian authorities] in the period 2013-2018," it said.

The death sentence was carried out despite calls by international human rights organization - including Amnesty International – for the Egyptian authorities to halt the execution.