(AFP PHOTO / AHMED ALI)
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned Turkey’s comments on the “Kerdasa Trial” verdict in a statement on Wednesday, describing them as having “caused disgust and condemnation”.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry had “strongly condemned” Tuesday the sentencing to death of 183 people as constituting “a new contingent of mass death sentences, reaching up to 1,000 persons, in the framework of the political decisions taken at the courts following the coup in Egypt in July 2013”.
On 2 February, the Giza Criminal Court sentenced 183 out of 188 defendants to death on charges of storming the Kerdasa police station, murdering at least 11 policemen in August 2013.
The Turkish statement read that “the number of political prisoners has risen to 20,000 since the coup in 2013”, and that Egypt “cannot reach lasting peace and stability” with mass death sentences. It went on to say that “Turkey will maintain its solidarity with Egyptian people”.
The Foreign Ministry said it “consistently ignored” the comments issued by the Turkish side, as the accusations come from a government accused internationally for its “flagrant and systematic violation of human rights”.
The ministry described the Turkish statement as “ironic” as it points to “Turkey’s stance with the Egyptian people” while its practices prove otherwise. This can be noted from statements by Turkish officials that “constantly and continuously show support for the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group”. In addition, the ministry accused the Turks of airing satellite channels from Turkish territory that “incite murder, intimidation and terrorism”.
Egypt summoned the Turkish charge d’affaires in Cairo to protest “the airing of these terrorist inflammatory channels” as it represents “a flagrant violation” to the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law.
Relations between Egypt and Turkey have been on the brink since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. The Turkish government has reiterated its opposition to the current Egyptian government and to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on different occasions. Egypt describes the opposition as “flagrant intervention” in Egypt’s internal affairs.
