Editor's Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Islamist Gate's editorial policy. The double standards pointed out earlier this month by the Muslim Brotherhood in respect to the response from the political leadership in the West to breaches in human rights in the Ukraine in comparison to the numbed silence over human rights breaches in Egypt since the military coup last year, were underlined this week as Egyptian courts handed out mass death sentences to 529 Mohamed Morsi supporters. In what was a ‘flagrant dismissal of fundamental legal practice' as reported by defense lawyers to Human Rights Watch – the trial of the 529 began and ended within an hour and the verdict was pronounced without the prosecution offering any evidence to implicate a single individual amongst the defendants. The court even prevented defense lawyers from presenting their case or from calling witnesses. The Middle East Director at Human Rights Watch – Sarah Leah Whitson declared "The Minya Court failed to carry out its most fundamental duty to access the individual guilt of each defendant, violating the most basic fair trial right. The death sentences should be immediately quashed." A spokesperson for the UN human rights commissioner - Navi Pillay was emphatic that what she referred to as a "cursory mass trial" was "rife with procedural irregularities" and had breached international human rights law. The trial of an additional 682 Morsi supporters in respect of the attempted murder of policemen during a crackdown on demonstrations in August last year, was adjourned after a hearing lasting just a few hours. Those on trial include the Muslim Brotherhood's supreme guide, Mohamed Badie – acknowledged by the Egypt's own State Information Service as among the 100 most influential figures in the Arab world. The judge - Said Youssef declared that the trial will reconvene on April 28th at which time he said a verdict will be given. Many fear that the sentences for the 682 have already been decided and will echo those handed out earlier this week. The fate of 16,000 Egyptians who still languish in jail including former President Mohamed Morsi and 3000 of the most senior figures within the Muslim Brotherhood - arrested in the period since the crackdown over the last eighteen months, now hangs in the balance. International human rights lawyers have noted the inconsistencies in response from political leaders to the harsh sentences – there have been no threats of sanctions or exclusions and no declarations of condemnation from Heads of States, they have said. The decision by the International Criminal Court in The Hague as to whether it will open a case at the behest of a group of international lawyers representing the Muslim Brotherhood against the current Egyptian administration in respect of crimes against humanity, is expected this week and may yet provoke a response from the political elite. The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy has called for immediate mass protests in Tahrir Square – which was at the heart of the protests which saw the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Protests are also expected to take place at the Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda squares in which the sit-in protests and killing of hundreds of protesters took place. Any suggestion that the harsh measures has subdued the resolve of Morsi supporters seems to have been quashed as the Brotherhood issued a defiant statement " "The shocking and unprecedented sentencing of 529 of Muslim Brotherhood supporters without due process is inhumane and a clear violation of all norms of humane and legal justice. The verdict is yet another clear indication that the corrupt judiciary is being utilized by the coup commanders to suppress the Egyptian revolution and install a brutal regime which surpassed decades long of oppression and tyranny in Egypt's history. We will take all legal actions to appeal the court ruling and defend basic rights of Egyptians. These unjust sentences will not weaken our resolve. Egyptian people will continue their peaceful revolution until justice is served." Whilst the harsh verdict is still subject to appeal, there can be no doubt that tensions across Egypt will now be at an all time high and that more violence is likely to ensue. As on prominent UK correspondent stated this week – rather than moving towards a path of democracy, Egypt is rapidly adopting all the hallmarks of a failed state.
