EGYPT-MURSI/TURKEY Hundreds demonstrate against death sentence for deposed Egyptian President

Record ID: 151417

  • Title: EGYPT-MURSI/TURKEY Hundreds demonstrate against death sentence for deposed Egyptian President
  • Date: 16th June 2015
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JUNE 16, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS OF EGYPT'S ANKARA EMBASSY PROTESTERS GATHERING PROTESTERS CHANTING PRO-MURSI SLOGANS MAN HOLDING EGYPTIAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER, ERKAN GULER, SAYING: "This is cruelty. No matter what are their opinion, it is ridiculous that the world remains silent to this verdict. I would doubt (the sincerity) of th
  • Embargoed: 1st July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADSAHIKDL3TPS3R2ERKPB92BP
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Turks protested on the streets on Tuesday evening (June 16) to condemn a death sentence handed to Egypt's former President Mohamed Mursi.
    An Egyptian court sentenced deposed President Mohamed Mursi to death on Tuesday over a mass jail break during the country's 2011 uprising and issued sweeping punishments against the leadership of Egypt's oldest Islamic group.
    Hundreds of people gathered outside Egypt's Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara and chanted slogans favouring Mursi. Protesters described the ruling as unjust.
    "This is cruelty. No matter what are their opinion, it is ridiculous that the world remains silent to this verdict. I would doubt (the sincerity) of the world when they remain silent in the face of this, while Turkey and the people here reacts in unity," protester Erkan Guler said.
    Another protester Dursun Aktan, said Turkey could not remain silent.
    "Islamic countries have been seriously oppressed. Today we see this with Mursi and politicians in Bangladesh. Tomorrow it will be Turkey or another Islamic country. We cannot remain silent. Of course, we would raise our voices. That is why we are here today. We will not remain silent to this (verdict) because we don't want to be the next (victim)."Aktan said.
    Another protest was staged outside Egypt's Istanbul consulate.
    "It is unjust to sentence a president who was elected with 52 percent of votes to death. Everybody here decries to correct this unjust decision," Eyup Ucerdan said.
    "Of course, we all feel sad. It is time to stand against this tyranny against a loved and respected head of state that has been elected by people and this tyranny is carried out by people with a pro-coup mindset," Mehmet Guler said.
    The sentences were part of a crackdown launched after an army takeover stripped Mursi of power in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. Hundreds of Islamist have been killed and thousands arrested.
    The Islamist Mursi became Egypt's first freely elected president after the downfall of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
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