Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday opened&nbsp;a strategic naval base on the Mediterranean Sea to "secure shipping lines", the presidency said.

"It is the latest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean, and will be focused on securing the country's northern and western front," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The ceremony was attended by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sisi-marks-first-iraq-visit-by-an-egyptian-leader-in-decades-394312">Sisi marks first Iraq visit by an Egyptian leader in decades</a>

The base lies some 255 kilometres (160 miles) west of Alexandria, towards the border with Libya, a country where both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have played a key military role.

State-run newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm reported that the base includes an airstrip and a 1,000-metre (3,280-foot) long pier.

The opening coincided with the eighth anniversary since Sisi led the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday opened a strategic naval base on the Mediterranean Sea to "secure shipping lines", the presidency said. "It is the latest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean, and will be focused on securing the country's northern and western front," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday opened a strategic naval base on the Mediterranean Sea to "secure shipping lines", the presidency said. "It is the latest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean, and will be focused on securing the country's northern and western front," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. The ceremony was attended by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Also read | Sisi marks first Iraq visit by an Egyptian leader in decades The base lies some 255 kilometres (160 miles) west of Alexandria, towards the border with Libya, a country where both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have played a key military role. State-run newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm reported that the base includes an airstrip and a 1,000-metre (3,280-foot) long pier. The opening coincided with the eighth anniversary since Sisi led the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Egypt opens strategic Mediterranean naval base

Rare small protests broke out on Friday in Cairo and other Egyptian cities calling for the removal of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but police quickly dispersed them, AFP journalists reported.

Dozens of people joined night-time demonstrations around Tahrir Square the epicenter of the 2011 revolution that toppled the country's long-time autocratic leader.

Such demonstrations are rare after Egypt effectively banned protests under a law passed following the 2013 military ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi.

Amid a heavy security presence, including riot police and plainclothes police officers, protesters were rounded up.

AFP journalists saw at least five protesters being arrested and police firing tear gas at demonstrators around the square.

Under the rule of general-turned-president Sisi, who led Morsi's ouster, authorities have launched a broad crackdown on dissidents, jailing thousands of Islamists as well as secular activists and popular bloggers.

Footage of the demonstrations, in which dozens chant "Leave Sisi", was shared online using the hashtag #Tahrir_Square, which was trending worldwide.

Along the road overlooking the Nile, close to the square, AFP journalists reported seeing small groups of people chanting anti-Sisi slogans after the rapid dispersal.

The protests come on the back of Mohamed Ali, a disgruntled exiled Egyptian businessman, demanding the toppling of Sisi.

The construction contractor has been posting viral videos from Spain since the beginning of September accusing Sisi and the military of rampant corruption.

Sisi flatly denied the allegations last week at a youth conference assuring Egyptians he "was honest and faithful" to his people and the military.

In his latest video posted early Friday morning on his growing social media accounts, Ali urged Egyptians to head to the streets after a highly anticipated football match between Cairo powerhouses Al Ahly and Zamalek in the Super Cup.

Widely shared videos online have also shown scattered protests varying in numbers in Alexandria, Al-Mahalla, Damietta, and Suez.

Rare small protests broke out on Friday in Cairo and other Egyptian cities calling for the removal of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but police quickly dispersed them, AFP journalists reported.

Rare small protests broke out on Friday in Cairo and other Egyptian cities calling for the removal of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but police quickly dispersed them, AFP journalists reported. Dozens of people joined night-time demonstrations around Tahrir Square the epicenter of the 2011 revolution that toppled the country's long-time autocratic leader. Such demonstrations are rare after Egypt effectively banned protests under a law passed following the 2013 military ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi. Amid a heavy security presence, including riot police and plainclothes police officers, protesters were rounded up. AFP journalists saw at least five protesters being arrested and police firing tear gas at demonstrators around the square. Under the rule of general-turned-president Sisi, who led Morsi's ouster, authorities have launched a broad crackdown on dissidents, jailing thousands of Islamists as well as secular activists and popular bloggers. Footage of the demonstrations, in which dozens chant "Leave Sisi", was shared online using the hashtag #Tahrir_Square, which was trending worldwide. Along the road overlooking the Nile, close to the square, AFP journalists reported seeing small groups of people chanting anti-Sisi slogans after the rapid dispersal. The protests come on the back of Mohamed Ali, a disgruntled exiled Egyptian businessman, demanding the toppling of Sisi. The construction contractor has been posting viral videos from Spain since the beginning of September accusing Sisi and the military of rampant corruption. Sisi flatly denied the allegations last week at a youth conference assuring Egyptians he "was honest and faithful" to his people and the military. In his latest video posted early Friday morning on his growing social media accounts, Ali urged Egyptians to head to the streets after a highly anticipated football match between Cairo powerhouses Al Ahly and Zamalek in the Super Cup. Widely shared videos online have also shown scattered protests varying in numbers in Alexandria, Al-Mahalla, Damietta, and Suez.

Anti-Sisi protests break out in Egypt, several arrested

Egypt’s first and last democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, died on Monday, lying on the floor of the courtroom where they were trying him on yet more charges. (He was already serving several life sentences.) &nbsp;

It was probably a heart attack, but according to witnesses, they left him lying there for 20 minutes before medical help arrived.

He was 67, and he was not in good health. He had diabetes and liver disease. But he was not getting proper treatment for the illnesses. A British parliamentary group that investigated his situation at his family’s request last year concluded that without urgent medical assistance the damage to his health could be “permanent and possibly terminal”. Well, it was.

Morsi was not a very good president. He was a narrow, stubborn man who governed solely in the interests of his own Muslim Brotherhood party and its Islamic priorities. He behaved like this even though he had barely scraped into the presidency with the votes of many who, though secular in their views and values, feared victory of the candidate of the old regime.

They fully shared his desire to uproot the secular ‘deep state’ that had ruled Egypt through three military dictators and six decades, but they had not signed up for an Islamist constitution. &nbsp;

So they started demonstrating against Morsi. And only a year after he was elected, they cheered when the military stepped in and overthrew him, like so many turkeys voting for Christmas.

Morsi and his party behaved badly. The secular pro-democracy activists were no wiser. And they have both paid a high price in blood and misery for their mistakes. So is there any particular reason to highlight the fact and manner of Morsi’s passing?

Yes, because it creates an opportunity to consider what might have happened if he had not been overthrown.

He would probably still be alive, because he would have been getting good medical care, but he would no longer be in power. His four-year presidential term would have expired in 2016, and he would not have won a second term. &nbsp; 
 
The whole of Morsi’s first presidential term, had he served it out, would have been spent struggling to pull the economy out of the ditch. In the course of that, he would have had to impose all sorts of austerity measures that would have hurt exactly the people who were his core voters: the pious poor. And half of them would not have voted for him next time.

The whole tragedy of 2013, which ended up with General al-Sisi’s snipers killing more than a thousand unarmed protesters in Rabaa and Nahda Squares in Cairo and wounding at least 4,000 others — a massacre perhaps as bad as Tianenmen Square — was completely unnecessary. People more experienced with democracy would have known that Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood rule would both be rejected in the 2016 elections.

All they had to do was wait it out and let the voters sort it out next time. That’s what Americans who deplore Donald Trump are doing right now, but they have more than two centuries of democratic government under their belt.

The voters may choose to make the same ‘mistake’ again, being only human, but mostly they don’t. And even if they do, there will be another chance to fix things the next time around. As long as the decisions are not completely irrevocable, they can eventually be reversed – and you get to keep your democracy.

If Morsi had not been overthrown, the biggest Arab country, with one-third of the world’s Arabic-speaking people, would still be a democracy. Other Arab countries like Algeria and Sudan, where they are trying to make democracy happen today, would have a powerful supporter in Egypt, not a sworn enemy.

Syria would probably still have suffered a civil war, and so might Yemen, but the ultra-conservative monarchies of the Gulf would no longer dominate the Arab world with their money. Nobody can question the courage of the young men and women who overthrew the Egyptian dictatorship in 2011, but they were too ready to dispense with democracy at the first sign of trouble.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-morsi-an-egyptian-chronology-of-a-death-foretold-2763280">original article)</a> 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Egypt’s first and last democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, died on Monday, lying on the floor of the courtroom where they were trying him on yet more charges.

Egypt’s first and last democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, died on Monday, lying on the floor of the courtroom where they were trying him on yet more charges. (He was already serving several life sentences.) It was probably a heart attack, but according to witnesses, they left him lying there for 20 minutes before medical help arrived. He was 67, and he was not in good health. He had diabetes and liver disease. But he was not getting proper treatment for the illnesses. A British parliamentary group that investigated his situation at his family’s request last year concluded that without urgent medical assistance the damage to his health could be “permanent and possibly terminal”. Well, it was. Morsi was not a very good president. He was a narrow, stubborn man who governed solely in the interests of his own Muslim Brotherhood party and its Islamic priorities. He behaved like this even though he had barely scraped into the presidency with the votes of many who, though secular in their views and values, feared victory of the candidate of the old regime. They fully shared his desire to uproot the secular ‘deep state’ that had ruled Egypt through three military dictators and six decades, but they had not signed up for an Islamist constitution. So they started demonstrating against Morsi. And only a year after he was elected, they cheered when the military stepped in and overthrew him, like so many turkeys voting for Christmas. Morsi and his party behaved badly. The secular pro-democracy activists were no wiser. And they have both paid a high price in blood and misery for their mistakes. So is there any particular reason to highlight the fact and manner of Morsi’s passing? Yes, because it creates an opportunity to consider what might have happened if he had not been overthrown. He would probably still be alive, because he would have been getting good medical care, but he would no longer be in power. His four-year presidential term would have expired in 2016, and he would not have won a second term. The whole of Morsi’s first presidential term, had he served it out, would have been spent struggling to pull the economy out of the ditch. In the course of that, he would have had to impose all sorts of austerity measures that would have hurt exactly the people who were his core voters: the pious poor. And half of them would not have voted for him next time. The whole tragedy of 2013, which ended up with General al-Sisi’s snipers killing more than a thousand unarmed protesters in Rabaa and Nahda Squares in Cairo and wounding at least 4,000 others — a massacre perhaps as bad as Tianenmen Square — was completely unnecessary. People more experienced with democracy would have known that Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood rule would both be rejected in the 2016 elections. All they had to do was wait it out and let the voters sort it out next time. That’s what Americans who deplore Donald Trump are doing right now, but they have more than two centuries of democratic government under their belt. The voters may choose to make the same ‘mistake’ again, being only human, but mostly they don’t. And even if they do, there will be another chance to fix things the next time around. As long as the decisions are not completely irrevocable, they can eventually be reversed – and you get to keep your democracy. If Morsi had not been overthrown, the biggest Arab country, with one-third of the world’s Arabic-speaking people, would still be a democracy. Other Arab countries like Algeria and Sudan, where they are trying to make democracy happen today, would have a powerful supporter in Egypt, not a sworn enemy. Syria would probably still have suffered a civil war, and so might Yemen, but the ultra-conservative monarchies of the Gulf would no longer dominate the Arab world with their money. Nobody can question the courage of the young men and women who overthrew the Egyptian dictatorship in 2011, but they were too ready to dispense with democracy at the first sign of trouble. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Mohamed Morsi: An Egyptian chronology of a death foretold

A political heavyweight in Egyptian politics, Mohamed Morsi, the former president, died after a court appearance in Cairo under mysterious circumstances. Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president. Here's a quick look at the rise and fall of Mohamed Morsi in Egypt's politics.

Gravitas: The rise and fall of Mohamed Morsi

Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, collapsed and died while on trial in a Cairo courtroom on Monday, six years after the military ousted him in tumultuous circumstances that pushed Egypt back to autocratic rule.

Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi has died in court

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-approves-deployment-of-1000-additional-troops-to-middle-east-amid-iran-tensions-228136">US approves deployment of 1,000 additional troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions</a>

The United States said on Monday it has approved the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, against the backdrop of soaring tensions with Iran.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mohamed-morsi-ousted-president-of-egypt-dies-in-court-during-trial-228135">Muslim Brotherhood blames Egyptian authorities for Morsi's 'deliberate slow death'</a>

The Muslim Brotherhood accused Egyptian authorities of being responsible for Mohamed Morsi's "deliberate slow death" after the former Islamist president died after falling ill in a Cairo court on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toronto-raptors-rally-4-wounded-3-arrested-in-shooting-at-the-celebration-of-nba-title-228145">Toronto Raptors rally: 4 wounded, 3 arrested in shooting at the celebration of NBA title</a>

Four people were shot and wounded and three people were arrested at the victory rally in Toronto celebrating the Raptors' NBA championship.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/circular-economy-can-generate-14-crore-jobs-in-next-5-7-years-niti-aayog-ceo-amitabh-kant-228151">Circular economy can generate 1.4 crore jobs in next 5-7 years: NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant</a>

Circular economy has potential to create nearly one-and-half crore jobs in next five to seven years and create lakhs of new entrepreneurs, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said here on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-population-to-cross-chinas-in-next-8-years-un-report-228138">India's population to cross China’s in next 8 years: UN report</a>

India, projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country around 2027, is expected to add nearly 273 million people between now and 2050 and will remain the most populated country through the end of the current century, a UN report said on Monday.

US approves deployment of 1,000 additional troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions The United States said on Monday it has approved the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, against the backdrop of soaring tensions with Iran.

US approves deployment of 1,000 additional troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions The United States said on Monday it has approved the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, against the backdrop of soaring tensions with Iran. Muslim Brotherhood blames Egyptian authorities for Morsi's 'deliberate slow death' The Muslim Brotherhood accused Egyptian authorities of being responsible for Mohamed Morsi's "deliberate slow death" after the former Islamist president died after falling ill in a Cairo court on Monday. Toronto Raptors rally: 4 wounded, 3 arrested in shooting at the celebration of NBA title Four people were shot and wounded and three people were arrested at the victory rally in Toronto celebrating the Raptors' NBA championship. Circular economy can generate 1.4 crore jobs in next 5-7 years: NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant Circular economy has potential to create nearly one-and-half crore jobs in next five to seven years and create lakhs of new entrepreneurs, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said here on Monday. India's population to cross China’s in next 8 years: UN report India, projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country around 2027, is expected to add nearly 273 million people between now and 2050 and will remain the most populated country through the end of the current century, a UN report said on Monday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

A day after Egypt former President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mohamed-morsi-ousted-president-of-egypt-dies-in-court-during-trial-228135">Mohamed Morsi</a> collapsed and died in state custody, United Nations rights office has called for an 'impartial inquiry by an independent body' into the case.

Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, "Any sudden death in custody must be followed by a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation carried out by an independent body to clarify the cause of death."

"Concerns have been raised regarding the conditions of Mr Morsi's detention, including access to adequate medical care, as well as sufficient access to his lawyers and family, during his nearly six years in custody," Colville said. &nbsp;

Colville also noted that Morsi "also appears to have been held in prolonged solitary confinement," and said the investigation must "encompass all aspects of the authorities' treatment of Mr Morsi to examine whether the conditions of his detention had an impact on his death."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypts-former-president-mohamed-mursi-dies-report-228094">Morsi, who died at the age of 67</a>, was Egypt's first democratically elected president in 2012 after the Arab Spring uprisings. After a brief turbulent year in power. He was overthrown by the army in 2013.

He died Monday after collapsing during a trial hearing in a Cairo court.

Morsi was a top figure in the now-banned movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mulim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice political party said in a statement published on its website accused Egyption authorities for being responsible for the Morsi's death.

The Egyptian authorities "put him in solitary confinement... They withheld medication and gave him disgusting food... They did not give him the most basic human rights," the statement said.

Morsi was sentenced to death in May 2015 for his role in jailbreaks during the uprising that ousted his predecessor, longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. But this was overturned in 2016.

Morsi was serving a 20-year prison sentence for a conviction arising from the killing of protesters during demonstrations in 2012, and a life sentence for espionage in a case related to the Gulf state of Qatar. He had denied the charges.

Reports said Morsi on Monday was in court for a hearing on charges of espionage emanating from suspected contacts with the Palestinian based group Hamas.

(With inputs from agencies)

A day after Egypt former President Mohamed Morsi collapsed and died in state custody, United Nations rights office has called for an 'impartial inquiry by an independent body' into the case.

A day after Egypt former President Mohamed Morsi collapsed and died in state custody, United Nations rights office has called for an 'impartial inquiry by an independent body' into the case. Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, "Any sudden death in custody must be followed by a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation carried out by an independent body to clarify the cause of death." "Concerns have been raised regarding the conditions of Mr Morsi's detention, including access to adequate medical care, as well as sufficient access to his lawyers and family, during his nearly six years in custody," Colville said. Colville also noted that Morsi "also appears to have been held in prolonged solitary confinement," and said the investigation must "encompass all aspects of the authorities' treatment of Mr Morsi to examine whether the conditions of his detention had an impact on his death." Morsi, who died at the age of 67, was Egypt's first democratically elected president in 2012 after the Arab Spring uprisings. After a brief turbulent year in power. He was overthrown by the army in 2013. He died Monday after collapsing during a trial hearing in a Cairo court. Morsi was a top figure in the now-banned movement, the Muslim Brotherhood. Mulim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice political party said in a statement published on its website accused Egyption authorities for being responsible for the Morsi's death. The Egyptian authorities "put him in solitary confinement... They withheld medication and gave him disgusting food... They did not give him the most basic human rights," the statement said. Morsi was sentenced to death in May 2015 for his role in jailbreaks during the uprising that ousted his predecessor, longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. But this was overturned in 2016. Morsi was serving a 20-year prison sentence for a conviction arising from the killing of protesters during demonstrations in 2012, and a life sentence for espionage in a case related to the Gulf state of Qatar. He had denied the charges. Reports said Morsi on Monday was in court for a hearing on charges of espionage emanating from suspected contacts with the Palestinian based group Hamas. (With inputs from agencies)

United Nations calls for 'impartial inquiry by independent body into death of Egypt's Mohamed Morsi

A coalition of opposition political parties in Egypt on Thursday urged voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments that could allow President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/egypts-sisi-meets-libyan-strongman-haftar-in-cairo-state-media-210327&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj_qZHnwtvhAhXMQI8KHXTCA7YQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2dq6ggwB2ysiw-DKcvaZQH">Abdel Fattah el-Sisi</a> to stay in power till 2030.

"We want people to go and say no," Al Jazeera quoted Abdel-Aziz al-Husseini of the Karam party, as saying.

The Civil Democratic Movement, including liberal and left-leaning parties, called the amendments an "assault on democracy".

The three-day referendum will begin on Saturday. According to the constitution of Egypt, the president can contest for a maximum for two terms in which each term varies from four to six years.

Khaled Dawood, an opposition leader and former head of the liberal Dostour, or Constitution Party, said if the referendum passes, "our dream and hope to have a president who is elected once every two terms will come to an end''.

''Unfortunately, the Egyptian regime is not learning the lessons of the 2011 revolution or experiences in Algeria and Sudan," he said.

Political analysts have also accused Sisi of misusing the state funds and power to launch crackdown on his political opposition.

Opposition parties have claimed that they were banned from hanging banners in the streets to call on voters to reject the amendments and said they have only used social media to reach out to people.

The 64-year-old came to power in 2014 after overthrowing then-President Mohamed Morsi.&nbsp;

A coalition of opposition political parties in Egypt on Thursday urged voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments that could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to stay in power till 2030.

A coalition of opposition political parties in Egypt on Thursday urged voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments that could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to stay in power till 2030. "We want people to go and say no," Al Jazeera quoted Abdel-Aziz al-Husseini of the Karam party, as saying. The Civil Democratic Movement, including liberal and left-leaning parties, called the amendments an "assault on democracy". The three-day referendum will begin on Saturday. According to the constitution of Egypt, the president can contest for a maximum for two terms in which each term varies from four to six years. Khaled Dawood, an opposition leader and former head of the liberal Dostour, or Constitution Party, said if the referendum passes, "our dream and hope to have a president who is elected once every two terms will come to an end''. ''Unfortunately, the Egyptian regime is not learning the lessons of the 2011 revolution or experiences in Algeria and Sudan," he said. Political analysts have also accused Sisi of misusing the state funds and power to launch crackdown on his political opposition. Opposition parties have claimed that they were banned from hanging banners in the streets to call on voters to reject the amendments and said they have only used social media to reach out to people. The 64-year-old came to power in 2014 after overthrowing then-President Mohamed Morsi.

Egypt: Opposition urges people to reject Sisi amendment

Leila's brother Amr was hanged in February.&nbsp;

The news of his impending execution -- one of many carried out under incumbent President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/egypts-sisi-raises-minimum-wage-to-help-assuage-economic-hardships-206801&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiyh_DA0MzhAhUUi3AKHTXtDZgQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Pue2z8EpDAM8Boh6JZguR">Abdel Fattah al-Sisi </a>-- shook her.

"I found out at night that he would be hanged the next day," Leila told AFP, which has used pseudonyms in this story to protect families' identities.&nbsp;

"We were all in shock. My mother was hysterical," Leila said.&nbsp;

"It was a very tough night. I wouldn't wish it on anyone".

Amr was accused, along with eight others, of assassinating former prosecutor general Hisham Barakat, who was killed in a car bomb in June 2015.

Leila said Amr was preparing to get married -- buying suits and readying a new home -- when he was arrested in February 2016, in the family residence in a major southern Egyptian town.

She alleges he disappeared for two weeks, and that the family only found out where he was thanks to lawyers, and relatives of other prisoners.&nbsp;

Amr said she saw signs of torture, including scars, on her brother's body during jail visits.&nbsp;

Executions -- always by hanging -- have risen sharply under Sisi, who won a second term in March last year.&nbsp;

So far this year, fifteen people have been executed in two separate trials, calculations by AFP show.&nbsp;

And between early 2017 and late 2018, Egypt executed 92 people, according to a recent report by local rights groups Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and Adalah for Rights and Freedoms.

These numbers are far higher than for previous governments, including that of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, who was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

A total of 11 people were executed in the last three full years of Mubarak's rule, according to Amnesty International.

'Arbitrary killings'&nbsp;

At a February summit with European Union leaders in the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, Sisi vehemently defended the use of the death penalty.

"You are not going to teach us about our humanity...respect our humanity...as we respect yours," he said.

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on executions Agnes Callamard told AFP the increased "use of the death penalty ... (constitutes) arbitrary killings" that are designed to crush dissent.&nbsp;

AFP spoke to families of men executed, and others who are on death row.&nbsp;

After the Sisi-led military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, experts note Egyptian judges have been more authoritarian, in line with an ongoing government crackdown which has incarcerated thousands.

"We are witnessing a rise in death sentences from tens per year before 2011 to hundreds per year after 2013," Sahar Aziz, a law professor at Rutgers University, told AFP.

London-based rights group Reprieve estimates that at least 2,159 individuals were provisionally sentenced to death between 2014 and 2018.&nbsp;

Hundreds of sentences have subsequently been commuted, but many remain on death row.

In March 2014 -- just prior to Sisi's elevation to the presidency in June that year -- the UN said Egypt's mass death sentences contravened international law.

The Egyptian legal system is based on Islamic sharia law, which legitimises capital punishment.

A high level Egyptian judicial source with knowledge of the death sentences handed down said, "there is no politicisation of these cases whatsoever".

"We are implementing Islam according to its laws and you're getting upset? If you are a terrorist who killed, then you must also be killed," he told AFP.&nbsp;

He preferred not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

An Amnesty report this week ranks Egypt sixth globally in the number of people executed in 2018 behind China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Iraq.

Many of the death sentences were handed down at mass trials involving hundreds of defendants and lasting just days.

'Taste of injustice'

"How many court sessions are needed to ensure that every prisoner is given a fair trial to explain their side of the story?" said Osama.

His father Abbas Al Minyawi is on death row (names have again been changed to protect identities).

He was one of 183 defendants accused of storming a Cairo police station and killing 11 policemen and two civilians.&nbsp;

Minyawi and 19 others in the 'Kerdasa massacre' case do not know when they will be executed.

"My dad was sentenced to death -- and also my mother in a way was also condemned to die with this news," Osama told AFP.

"The taste of injustice is bitter," he added.

The "troubling speed" at which the death penalty has been used indicates that Egypt’s legal process has been politicised as part of the authorities' crackdown, law professor Aziz contended.

UN special rapporteur Callamard said, "the circumstances leading to the imposition of these sentences and their execution are a great matter of concern".

She also blamed international powers for failing to hold Egypt accountable for its flagrant use of capital punishment.

"This (international) deafening silence has become an integral part of the spiralling human rights violations in Egypt".

For the relatives of those executed, such as Leila, painful memories endure.

"He wasn't the same person I remember when I saw him in the morgue," Leila said of her brother.&nbsp;

"He was so beautiful. He was sleeping peacefully."

Leila's brother Amr was hanged in February. The news of his impending execution -- one of many carried out under incumbent President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi -- shook her.

Leila's brother Amr was hanged in February. The news of his impending execution -- one of many carried out under incumbent President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi -- shook her. "I found out at night that he would be hanged the next day," Leila told AFP, which has used pseudonyms in this story to protect families' identities. "We were all in shock. My mother was hysterical," Leila said. "It was a very tough night. I wouldn't wish it on anyone". Amr was accused, along with eight others, of assassinating former prosecutor general Hisham Barakat, who was killed in a car bomb in June 2015. Leila said Amr was preparing to get married -- buying suits and readying a new home -- when he was arrested in February 2016, in the family residence in a major southern Egyptian town. She alleges he disappeared for two weeks, and that the family only found out where he was thanks to lawyers, and relatives of other prisoners. Amr said she saw signs of torture, including scars, on her brother's body during jail visits. Executions -- always by hanging -- have risen sharply under Sisi, who won a second term in March last year. So far this year, fifteen people have been executed in two separate trials, calculations by AFP show. And between early 2017 and late 2018, Egypt executed 92 people, according to a recent report by local rights groups Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and Adalah for Rights and Freedoms. These numbers are far higher than for previous governments, including that of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, who was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring protests. A total of 11 people were executed in the last three full years of Mubarak's rule, according to Amnesty International. 'Arbitrary killings' At a February summit with European Union leaders in the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, Sisi vehemently defended the use of the death penalty. "You are not going to teach us about our humanity...respect our humanity...as we respect yours," he said. The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on executions Agnes Callamard told AFP the increased "use of the death penalty ... (constitutes) arbitrary killings" that are designed to crush dissent. AFP spoke to families of men executed, and others who are on death row. After the Sisi-led military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, experts note Egyptian judges have been more authoritarian, in line with an ongoing government crackdown which has incarcerated thousands. "We are witnessing a rise in death sentences from tens per year before 2011 to hundreds per year after 2013," Sahar Aziz, a law professor at Rutgers University, told AFP. London-based rights group Reprieve estimates that at least 2,159 individuals were provisionally sentenced to death between 2014 and 2018. Hundreds of sentences have subsequently been commuted, but many remain on death row. In March 2014 -- just prior to Sisi's elevation to the presidency in June that year -- the UN said Egypt's mass death sentences contravened international law. The Egyptian legal system is based on Islamic sharia law, which legitimises capital punishment. A high level Egyptian judicial source with knowledge of the death sentences handed down said, "there is no politicisation of these cases whatsoever". "We are implementing Islam according to its laws and you're getting upset? If you are a terrorist who killed, then you must also be killed," he told AFP. He preferred not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media. An Amnesty report this week ranks Egypt sixth globally in the number of people executed in 2018 behind China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Iraq. Many of the death sentences were handed down at mass trials involving hundreds of defendants and lasting just days. 'Taste of injustice' "How many court sessions are needed to ensure that every prisoner is given a fair trial to explain their side of the story?" said Osama. His father Abbas Al Minyawi is on death row (names have again been changed to protect identities). He was one of 183 defendants accused of storming a Cairo police station and killing 11 policemen and two civilians. Minyawi and 19 others in the 'Kerdasa massacre' case do not know when they will be executed. "My dad was sentenced to death -- and also my mother in a way was also condemned to die with this news," Osama told AFP. "The taste of injustice is bitter," he added. The "troubling speed" at which the death penalty has been used indicates that Egypt’s legal process has been politicised as part of the authorities' crackdown, law professor Aziz contended. UN special rapporteur Callamard said, "the circumstances leading to the imposition of these sentences and their execution are a great matter of concern". She also blamed international powers for failing to hold Egypt accountable for its flagrant use of capital punishment. "This (international) deafening silence has become an integral part of the spiralling human rights violations in Egypt". For the relatives of those executed, such as Leila, painful memories endure. "He wasn't the same person I remember when I saw him in the morgue," Leila said of her brother. "He was so beautiful. He was sleeping peacefully."

Egypt inmates dread noose as executions rise under Sisi

Some 800 Palestinians crossed Sunda from the Gaza Strip into Egypt on their initial stage of a pilgrimage to Mecca, the first time since 2014 Egyptian authorities have granted visas for such a trip.

The pilgrims left at around dawn and were to be met by buses on the Egyptian side to bring them to Cairo's airport, from where they would fly to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, said a Palestinian official at the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip.

Fifteen Gazans among the 800 were not authorised to cross, according to a Palestinian security official at Rafah, without providing the reasons.

Security sources on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing confirmed it was the first such permission for the Muslim umrah pilgrimage since the start of Egyptian military operations in northern Sinai in 2014.

Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca that can be completed throughout the year, as opposed to the annual hajj pilgrimage.

Around 2,500 pilgrims are authorised annually to leave Gaza via Egypt for the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslims must undertake at least once in their lifetime.

Since the overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Egypt has faced a jihadist insurgency in North Sinai.

Last year, Egypt's military launched a major offensive against the Sinai jihadists, though Cairo has for years considered the entire area a security priority.

Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas, has been under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade. Gaza militants and Israel have fought three wars since 2008.

The Rafah crossing with Egypt is the only one out of Gaza not controlled by Israel. It had been largely closed in recent years but was reopened some 10 months ago.

Around 300 travellers use it daily in either direction, according to figures dating to December provided by the Gisha NGO, which monitors the blockade on Gaza.&nbsp;

Some 800 Palestinians crossed Sunda from the Gaza Strip into Egypt on their initial stage of a pilgrimage to Mecca, the first time since 2014 Egyptian authorities have granted visas for such a trip.

Some 800 Palestinians crossed Sunda from the Gaza Strip into Egypt on their initial stage of a pilgrimage to Mecca, the first time since 2014 Egyptian authorities have granted visas for such a trip. The pilgrims left at around dawn and were to be met by buses on the Egyptian side to bring them to Cairo's airport, from where they would fly to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, said a Palestinian official at the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip. Fifteen Gazans among the 800 were not authorised to cross, according to a Palestinian security official at Rafah, without providing the reasons. Security sources on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing confirmed it was the first such permission for the Muslim umrah pilgrimage since the start of Egyptian military operations in northern Sinai in 2014. Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca that can be completed throughout the year, as opposed to the annual hajj pilgrimage. Around 2,500 pilgrims are authorised annually to leave Gaza via Egypt for the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslims must undertake at least once in their lifetime. Since the overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Egypt has faced a jihadist insurgency in North Sinai. Last year, Egypt's military launched a major offensive against the Sinai jihadists, though Cairo has for years considered the entire area a security priority. Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas, has been under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade. Gaza militants and Israel have fought three wars since 2008. The Rafah crossing with Egypt is the only one out of Gaza not controlled by Israel. It had been largely closed in recent years but was reopened some 10 months ago. Around 300 travellers use it daily in either direction, according to figures dating to December provided by the Gisha NGO, which monitors the blockade on Gaza.

Around 800 Palestinians allowed to exit Gaza for Mecca pilgrimage

Egyptian police has killed ten terrorists in raids in Egypt&#39;s restive North Sinai, the interior ministry said.

The terrorists were involved in the attack that targeted a security checkpoint in North Sinai&#39;s capital and largest city Al-Arish last Monday that left eight policemen and one civilian dead.

The police forces launched raids in Al-Arish and ten terrorists were killed in exchange of fire, the ministry statement said.

Egypt&#39;s North Sinai has been the stage for many terrorists attacks since the January 2011 revolution that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule.

The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished hideouts that belonged to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.

(PTI)

The terrorists were involved in killing nine people including eight security personnel last week

Egyptian police has killed ten terrorists in raids in Egypt's restive North Sinai, the interior ministry said. The terrorists were involved in the attack that targeted a security checkpoint in North Sinai's capital and largest city Al-Arish last Monday that left eight policemen and one civilian dead. The police forces launched raids in Al-Arish and ten terrorists were killed in exchange of fire, the ministry statement said. Egypt's North Sinai has been the stage for many terrorists attacks since the January 2011 revolution that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak. The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule. The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished hideouts that belonged to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip. (PTI)

Egypt: Police kill 10 terrorists in restive North Sinai

An Egyptian appeals court Tuesday quashed one of two life sentences handed down to Mohamed Morsi since his 2013 overthrow, in the Islamist ex-president&#39;s second appeals victory in a week.

The Court of Cassation, Egypt&#39;s highest appeals court, issued the verdict, Morsi&#39;s lawyer and a judicial official told AFP.

The court ordered a retrial in the case, Morsi&#39;s lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud told AFP, adding: &quot;The verdict was full of legal flaws.&quot;

The ruling also quashed sentences against 22 others, including three death sentences against Muslim Brotherhood&#39;s deputy head Khairat al-Shater and other senior officials from the now banned group.

A court had sentenced Morsi to life in June 2015 on charges of spying for Iran, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

The decision was the latest legal victory for the 65-year-old, who has been convicted and sentenced in all cases against him since being removed from office in 2013.

&quot;Most of the trials in which the former president has been convicted are not built on sufficient evidence: the prosecutor relies on security services reports,&quot; University of Cairo political sciences Professor Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed told AFP on Tuesday.

Morsi was Egypt&#39;s first freely elected leader, taking power after the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak.

But his year in office proved deeply divisive and he was overthrown by then-army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass street protests.

A crackdown on Morsi&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood followed, with the movement blacklisted, hundreds of its supporters killed and thousands jailed or sentenced to death.

The courts&#39; handling of the cases against Morsi and his supporters, many of whom have been convicted after mass trials lasting just days, has drawn criticism from Western governments, human rights groups and the United Nations, which described the trials as &quot;unprecedented&quot; in recent history.

Last week, the Court of Cassation also overturned a death sentence handed down against Morsi on charges of taking part in prison breaks and violence against policemen during the 2011 uprising against Mubarak.

&#39;Initial verdicts were political&#39;&nbsp;

That decision enabled Morsi to stop wearing the red uniform reserved for death row prisoners.

Five co-defendants, including Brotherhood supreme guide Mohamed Badie, who also received death sentences, are to be retried too in that case.

&quot;These decisions tell us that the initial verdicts were political,&quot; said lawyer and human rights activist Gamal Eid.

From next Monday, the court is to start reviewing a second life sentence handed down against Morsi in a separate trial on charges of stealing documents relating to national security and handing them over to Qatar, a longstanding supporter of the Brotherhood.

Last month, it upheld a 20-year jail sentence passed against Morsi on charges of ordering the use of deadly force against protesters during his year in power, which has become the only final verdict against the former Islamist president.

Morsi is being held at the Borg el-Arab prison near the northern city of Alexandria.

A veteran activist and engineering professor, Morsi emerged as a compromise candidate for the Brotherhood to field in Egypt&#39;s first democratic presidential election in 2012.

He narrowly won the vote but was soon accused of failing to represent all Egyptians and of trampling the ideals of the anti-Mubarak uprising.

His rule was marked by deep divisions in Egyptian society, a crippling economic crisis and often deadly opposition protests.

Morsi was removed by Sisi on July 3, 2013 after millions took to the streets demanding his resignation. Sisi became president a year later.

Morsi denounced a &quot;coup&quot; and his supporters insisted he was still the legitimate president.

Hundreds were killed in clashes that erupted when security forces dispersed two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo in August 2013.

The years following Morsi&#39;s overthrow saw a surge in bombings and shootings targeting security forces, particularly in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of the Islamic State group.

The jihadists say the attacks are in retaliation for the crackdown on Islamists. 
 
(AFP)

The decision was the latest legal victory for Morsi, who has been sentenced in all cases against him since being removed from office in 2013

An Egyptian appeals court Tuesday quashed one of two life sentences handed down to Mohamed Morsi since his 2013 overthrow, in the Islamist ex-president's second appeals victory in a week. The Court of Cassation, Egypt's highest appeals court, issued the verdict, Morsi's lawyer and a judicial official told AFP. The court ordered a retrial in the case, Morsi's lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud told AFP, adding: "The verdict was full of legal flaws." The ruling also quashed sentences against 22 others, including three death sentences against Muslim Brotherhood's deputy head Khairat al-Shater and other senior officials from the now banned group. A court had sentenced Morsi to life in June 2015 on charges of spying for Iran, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. The decision was the latest legal victory for the 65-year-old, who has been convicted and sentenced in all cases against him since being removed from office in 2013. "Most of the trials in which the former president has been convicted are not built on sufficient evidence: the prosecutor relies on security services reports," University of Cairo political sciences Professor Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed told AFP on Tuesday. Morsi was Egypt's first freely elected leader, taking power after the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak. But his year in office proved deeply divisive and he was overthrown by then-army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass street protests. A crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood followed, with the movement blacklisted, hundreds of its supporters killed and thousands jailed or sentenced to death. The courts' handling of the cases against Morsi and his supporters, many of whom have been convicted after mass trials lasting just days, has drawn criticism from Western governments, human rights groups and the United Nations, which described the trials as "unprecedented" in recent history. Last week, the Court of Cassation also overturned a death sentence handed down against Morsi on charges of taking part in prison breaks and violence against policemen during the 2011 uprising against Mubarak. 'Initial verdicts were political' That decision enabled Morsi to stop wearing the red uniform reserved for death row prisoners. Five co-defendants, including Brotherhood supreme guide Mohamed Badie, who also received death sentences, are to be retried too in that case. "These decisions tell us that the initial verdicts were political," said lawyer and human rights activist Gamal Eid. From next Monday, the court is to start reviewing a second life sentence handed down against Morsi in a separate trial on charges of stealing documents relating to national security and handing them over to Qatar, a longstanding supporter of the Brotherhood. Last month, it upheld a 20-year jail sentence passed against Morsi on charges of ordering the use of deadly force against protesters during his year in power, which has become the only final verdict against the former Islamist president. Morsi is being held at the Borg el-Arab prison near the northern city of Alexandria. A veteran activist and engineering professor, Morsi emerged as a compromise candidate for the Brotherhood to field in Egypt's first democratic presidential election in 2012. He narrowly won the vote but was soon accused of failing to represent all Egyptians and of trampling the ideals of the anti-Mubarak uprising. His rule was marked by deep divisions in Egyptian society, a crippling economic crisis and often deadly opposition protests. Morsi was removed by Sisi on July 3, 2013 after millions took to the streets demanding his resignation. Sisi became president a year later. Morsi denounced a "coup" and his supporters insisted he was still the legitimate president. Hundreds were killed in clashes that erupted when security forces dispersed two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo in August 2013. The years following Morsi's overthrow saw a surge in bombings and shootings targeting security forces, particularly in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of the Islamic State group. The jihadists say the attacks are in retaliation for the crackdown on Islamists. (AFP)

Egypt court quashes former president Morsi's life sentence, orders retrial

Turkey wants to repair its ties with Egypt, after relations soured over the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.&nbsp;Relations between Ankara and Cairo took a nosedive after the Egyptian military deposed Morsi on July 30, 2013. 
 
Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, had been a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s ruling Justice and Development Party-led (AKP) government. 
 
Erdogan repeatedly condemned the ouster as a &quot;coup d&#39;etat&quot; against Morsi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies he has often flashed the four-finger &quot;Rabaa&quot; hand salute, seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood. 
 
&quot;We think we need to develop economic and cultural ties with Egypt as countries that use the two sides of the Mediterranean,&quot; Yildirim told reporters at a briefing in Istanbul. 
 
However, he sounded a note of caution that high-level relations would not be repaired overnight.&nbsp;&quot;We think we need to start from somewhere,&quot; he said. 
 
It is not the first time Yildirim has expressed hope for improved relations with Egypt.&nbsp;In June, he said he did not want to see &quot;permanent enmity&quot; with countries such as Egypt and Syria. 
 
Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, one of the main backers of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is keen to see the two countries reconcile as it grows increasingly close to Turkey. 
 
After the July 15 failed putsch in Turkey by a rogue military faction aiming to oust Erdogan from power, Egypt&#39;s presidency remained mum.&nbsp;However, the foreign ministry released a statement on consular efforts to help Egyptians in Turkey. 
 
Turkey appears to be taking steps to return to its former &quot;zero problems with neighbours&quot; foreign policy after rapprochements with Russia and Israel in June this year. 
 
(AFP)

Relations between the two countries soured after the Egyptian military deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013

Turkey wants to repair its ties with Egypt, after relations soured over the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday. Relations between Ankara and Cairo took a nosedive after the Egyptian military deposed Morsi on July 30, 2013. Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, had been a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party-led (AKP) government. Erdogan repeatedly condemned the ouster as a "coup d'etat" against Morsi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies he has often flashed the four-finger "Rabaa" hand salute, seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood. "We think we need to develop economic and cultural ties with Egypt as countries that use the two sides of the Mediterranean," Yildirim told reporters at a briefing in Istanbul. However, he sounded a note of caution that high-level relations would not be repaired overnight. "We think we need to start from somewhere," he said. It is not the first time Yildirim has expressed hope for improved relations with Egypt. In June, he said he did not want to see "permanent enmity" with countries such as Egypt and Syria. Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, one of the main backers of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is keen to see the two countries reconcile as it grows increasingly close to Turkey. After the July 15 failed putsch in Turkey by a rogue military faction aiming to oust Erdogan from power, Egypt's presidency remained mum. However, the foreign ministry released a statement on consular efforts to help Egyptians in Turkey. Turkey appears to be taking steps to return to its former "zero problems with neighbours" foreign policy after rapprochements with Russia and Israel in June this year. (AFP)

PM Binali Yildirim says Turkey wants to repair ties with Egypt

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday ruled out a reconciliation with Egypt despite a diplomatic blitz that has seen Ankara mend fences with Russia and Israel. 
 
Ties between Turkey and Egypt ruptured in 2013 after the military ousted elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, a close ally of Erdogan&#39;s AKP government. 
 
Observers had suggested a rapprochement may be on the cards after last week saw Turkey restore ties with Russia and Israel following bitter diplomatic rows, seeking to boost trade and shore up its regional clout. 
 
But Erdogan said Tuesday that a thaw with Egypt&#39;s &quot;oppressive regime&quot; should not be expected any time soon. 
 
&quot;The context with Egypt is different from the approaches undertaken with Russia and Israel,&quot; the Turkish strongman told journalists in comments cited by Dogan news agency. 
 
He stressed that Turkey&#39;s dispute was with Egypt&#39;s government, not its people, and repeated his condemnation of the crackdown on Morsi&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood. 
 
&quot;Sentences handed down to Morsi and his friends have been based on fabrications,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;These people are our brothers, we cannot accept these decisions by an oppressive regime.&quot; 
 
Erdogan has previously condemned the &quot;coup&quot; against Morsi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies, he often uses a four-finger hand gesture known as &quot;Rabia&quot;, seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood. 
 
Saudi Arabia, an increasingly close Turkish ally that is one of the main backers of Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is keen to see the two nations reconcile. 
 
(AFP)

Ties between Turkey and Egypt ruptured in 2013 after the military ousted elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday ruled out a reconciliation with Egypt despite a diplomatic blitz that has seen Ankara mend fences with Russia and Israel. Ties between Turkey and Egypt ruptured in 2013 after the military ousted elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, a close ally of Erdogan's AKP government. Observers had suggested a rapprochement may be on the cards after last week saw Turkey restore ties with Russia and Israel following bitter diplomatic rows, seeking to boost trade and shore up its regional clout. But Erdogan said Tuesday that a thaw with Egypt's "oppressive regime" should not be expected any time soon. "The context with Egypt is different from the approaches undertaken with Russia and Israel," the Turkish strongman told journalists in comments cited by Dogan news agency. He stressed that Turkey's dispute was with Egypt's government, not its people, and repeated his condemnation of the crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. "Sentences handed down to Morsi and his friends have been based on fabrications," he said. "These people are our brothers, we cannot accept these decisions by an oppressive regime." Erdogan has previously condemned the "coup" against Morsi, and in a show of solidarity at rallies, he often uses a four-finger hand gesture known as "Rabia", seen as a symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood. Saudi Arabia, an increasingly close Turkish ally that is one of the main backers of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is keen to see the two nations reconcile. (AFP)

Turkey's Erdogan rules out Egypt thaw

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