Egypt criticized for rise in death sentence

Legal experts and human rights activists are criticizing Egypt for an increase in death sentences in recent months, accusing the country's courts of trying to use capital punishment to stop crime.  Reports say last month 75 Egyptians were sentenced to death in comparison to just 86 for the whole of last year. 

A Cairo-based Arab Centre for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession expressed concern that the extravagance with which the penalty is being used shows that defendants are not receiving a fair trial.  It also noted that torture is often used by police to elicit confessions. 

The head of the Centre Nasser Amin, said the judges may be acting under government pressure to give maximum penalties to curb the rising crime rate.  Under Egyptian law, 90 different crimes can warrant execution, including premeditated murder, rape, drug-related offenses, and security offenses such as espionage and attempting to overthrow the government.