Down with the civilian-military dictatorship!
Former Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi was sentenced to death on a provisional basis on 16 May by a criminal court in Cairo, Egypt. The court of appeals upheld the ruling in June. Also sentenced to capital punishment for spying were the chairman of the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, Saad Katatni, his vice president, Essam al-Erian, and the prominent Islamic preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who was tried in absentia. Mursi was sentenced to death, along with other 105 members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Mursi and the MB leaders have received crude accusations that include a denunciation of «receiving» aid, for an alleged «flight» of Hamas and Hezbollah fighters.
These convictions are endorsed by the civil-military dictatorship of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which has persecuted supporters, members and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. But this dictatorship not only persecutes the MB but represses strikes and all forms of youth and popular protest. Key sectors in the revolution of 2011 that overthrew the dictator Hosni Mubarak, such as the April 6 Youth Movement, have been declared illegal.
The revolutionary socialists said at the time that it was a serious mistake by sectors of the Egyptian left to endorse the military coup of 2013 and place a trust in the military and in their new government composed of political forces and political leaders of the bosses and pro-imperialist opposed to the MB. We noted that the endorsement of a majority of the left to the military coup— which legitimized it in the eyes of the masses— would have a very expensive price tag. Today we are seeing this sad reality. Only the people, its workers, women and the revolutionary youth mobilized and in power can achieve the fundamental changes that have been raised since the revolution began in 2011.
From the IWU-FI, we reiterate we have no political consensus with the Muslim Brotherhood, but we reject these death sentences to Mohamed Mursi and hundreds of leaders and activists of the MB; we demand its cancellation and the immediate release of all political prisoners in Egypt. We do not grant any rights to this murderous dictatorship to judge anyone. It will be the working people and youth, who started the revolution, who may try former President Mursi, head of the MB, and also these military murderers who purport to speak on behalf of the revolution when they are the agents of the counterrevolution.
We call on to the workers and youth of the world to join all popular, democratic sectors, and of the Arab left who decry this aberrant death sentence to hundreds of political prisoners. We call on to promote pronouncements, petitions and all kinds of united action demanding the repeal of the death sentence and the release of all political prisoners in Egypt.
No to the death sentences of leaders and activists!
Release of all political prisoners!
Down with the civil-military dictatorship!
International Workers Unity -Fourth International (IWU-FI)
June 2015.
