CAIRO: No more browsing from site to site, view the top politics news stories on Nov. 22 here:
Egypt’s court of Cassation overturns life sentence against ex-president Mohamed Morsi
Egypt’s Court of Cassation on Tuesday overturned prison and death sentences issued against former president Mohamed Morsi and 21 other defendants in an espionage case, Youm7 reported.
In June 2015, the Cairo Criminal Court had sentenced Morsi and 16 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including the group’s supreme guide Mohamed Badie and Essam al Erian to life in prison for conspiring with foreign powers, including the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, to destabilize Egypt’s stability.
The court also sentenced to death three Brotherhood figures, including Mohamed al Beltagy and Khairat al Shater on the said charges.
Last week, the Cassastion Court also overturned a death sentence handed down against Morsi on charges of taking part in prison break and violence against policemen during the 2011 uprising which toppled president Hosni Mubarak.
Portuguese President hails Egypt’s role in ME peace process
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Monday asserted that Egypt plays a pivotal role in achieving security and stability in the Middle East region.
In a joint press conference held in Lisbon with visiting President Abdel Fatah al Sisi on Monday, de Sousa said that Portugal and Egypt are interested in boosting peacemaking in the Middle East region.
Egypt’s peace and security have direct impact on the stability of Europe and the Mediterranean region, he added.
For his part, Sisi said that that the Egyptian leadership appreciates Portugal’s balanced stance towards the transition process in Egypt following the 2013 ouster of President Mohamed Morsi.
Sisi also stressed Egypt’s keenness on promoting relations with the European Union countries, notably Portugal.
The two leaders held joint meeting on Monday that tackled several challenges facing the two countries, including the economy, social justice and human rights.
Portugal and Egypt share viewpoints regarding different issues, de Sousa said.
Sisi’s visit to Portugal is the first of its kind by an Egyptian president in the past two decades.
Government committee seizes funds of 46 Muslim Brotherhood members
The government committee tasked with managing funds of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group has ordered the confiscation of assets of 46 group members as well as five companies, Youm7 reported.
The confiscated assets include five companies involved in trade, construction, and pharmaceuticals, head of the committee Mohamed Yasser Abu el Fotouh was quoted as saying by Youm7.
Mohammed Abdel Gawad, who served as head of Egypt’s pharmacists’ syndicate during the tenure of ousted Islamist Mohamed Morsi, was among owners of the companies confiscated, he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist organization in December 2013. Following the ruling, a committee affiliated with the Justice Ministry was formed to seize assets of the groups’ members.
In September 2013, the North Cairo Criminal Court upheld a decision by former Attorney General Hisham Barakat to freeze the assets of prominent MB leaders, including Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and his deputy Khairat El-Shater.
Egypt elected deputy head of Africa Prosecutors Association
Egypt’s Attorney General Nabil Sadek was elected deputy head of the Africa Prosecutors Association (APA) for North Africa region, Youm7 reported on Tuesday.
The election was held in the framework of 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of members of the Africa Prosecutors Association (APA), held in Angola from 16 to 19 November under the scheme “African prosecutors united in combating corruption and transnational crimes,” Egyptian Ambassador in Angola Khaled Abdel Rahman was quoted by Youm7.
The meetings tackled several topics including, corruption combat and organized transitional crimes.