Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi defended Egypt's human rights record during a visit to Germany, amid concerns over death sentences handed to dozens of Islamist figures. "We are keen on lives and on human beings," El-Sisi said during a joint press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday in Berlin. "We are seeking to foster high human values in the face of tough circumstances." Hours before El-Sisi's left for Germany on Tuesday, an Egyptian court said it would announce its final ruling next week on a death sentence recently handed down to former president Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted in 2013 after a year in office. Since Morsi's overthrow, the government has launched a sustained crackdown mainly targeting Islamists which has seen thousands jailed and dozens sentenced to death. The campaign comes against the backdrop of a mounting Islamist insurgency that has killed hundreds of police and military personnel. "The death sentences are mostly issued in absentia, and are then overturned once defendants turn themselves in; then retrials begin pursuant to both Egyptian and international laws," El-Sisi said. "[The sentences] are the first step in lengthy prosecution procedures," the president added, hinting that any move to criticise such measures would be premature. Merkel said that she hoped Cairo will move to resolve the controversial death penalty issue and protect human rights. The chancellor added that her talks with El-Sisi have tackled militant violence in the region and the key role Cairo is playing to combat terrorism. Both leaders also discussed means to boost economic and technological cooperation between Cairo and Berlin. source: Ahram online
