Egypt court hands down prison sentences for 33 Morsi supporters News
Egypt court hands down prison sentences for 33 Morsi supporters

[JURIST] An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced 33 supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] to six years in prison for protesting without government permission in December. The court also fined [AP report] each defendant 50,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately USD $7,100). The prison sentences are the latest in a series of crackdowns on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood [JURIST news archive] supporters following the president’s removal in a military coup last July. In addition to these sentences, another Egyptian court sentenced 529 Morsi supporters to death [JURIST report] last week, despite heavy opposition from international human rights groups.

Political conflict in Egypt has been ongoing since the 2011 revolution [JURIST backgrounder] that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak from power. Much of that conflict has occurred recently between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and the former government of Morsi, and supporters of the new government in place since his ouster in July, especially since the organization’s formal ban [JURIST reports] in September. On March 18 an Egyptian court sentenced [JURIST report] four police officers for their role in the deaths of 37 Islamists. Opponents have criticized the light sentences handed down to the officers. A day earlier, an Egyptian prosecutor referred [JURIST report] Morsi’s youngest son, Abdullah Morsi, to trial on allegations of drug use and possession. In February, the Cairo Criminal Court convicted [JURIST report] 26 people of forming a terrorist group with intent to attack the Suez Canal.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Supreme Court ruled Indians not US citizens

On November 3, 1884, the US Supreme Court ruled in Elk v. Wilkins that John Elk, an American Indian who had tried to vote in a federal election in Omaha, Nebraska, was not a US citizen entitled to the protection of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution. Native Americans became eligible for citizenship in 1887 under the Dawes Act, but only in 1924, under the Indian Citizenship Act, were all Native Americans born in the US made citizens.

Last public execution at Tyburn Gallows in London

On November 3, 1783, the last public execution took place at Tyburn Gallows in London, when John Austin was hanged for highway robbery. From the hanging of William Fitz Osburn in 1196 until Austin's execution, Tyburn served as London's primary location for public executions.

Learn more about the trial of John Austin.