[JURIST] A Cairo court on Saturday confirmed a decision dissolving the Islamist Istiqlal Party. The court also rejected an appeal [Daily News Egypt report] of the decision. The case was brought before the court after former State Security Court judge Amr Abdel Raziq filed a lawsuit demanding the dissolution of the party, accusing the party of terrorism, inciting violence and using religious rhetoric in its political discourse. The party was subject to regular crackdowns under both former presidents Hosni Mubarak [JURIST news archive] and Anwar El-Sadat. The Anti-Coup Alliance condemned the dissolution of the Islamist Istiqlal Party, alleging that it was unlawful retaliation for the revolution.

In August the Supreme Administrative Court in Egypt dissolved [JURIST report] the Freedom and Justice Party [party website], the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood [JURIST news archive]. The Egyptian military and new government have heavily cracked down on supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, having jailed approximately 15,000 individuals since his ouster in July 2013. In April Egyptian courts convicted [JURIST report] more than 50 supporters of the former president on charges including violence and rioting. In March the most notable sentencing occurred when 529 alleged Morsi supporters were collectively sentenced [JURIST report] to death in one controversial judicial proceeding. That sentencing was heavily criticized [JURIST report] by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website], claiming it illustrates the lengths to which Egypt’s courts have been politicized and due process has been ignored during a crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. Two more Morsi supporters were independently sentenced [JURIST report] to death in March as well. Critics of these harsh sentences have pointed to examples of disparate treatment unfairly targeting Islamists, such as the sentencing [JURIST report] of several police officers involved in the deaths of 37 Morsi supporters to single-year suspended sentences.