The White House released a statement on Saturday condemning the life sentence issued against Egyptian-American activist and civilian journalist Mohamed Soltan earlier on the same day.
The sentence was based on charges of supporting a terrorist group and transmitting false news. The accusations refer to Soltan’s coverage of the the pro-Morsi Rabaa Al-Adaweya protests and the subsequent bloodshed on August 14th 2013.
“The United States condemns the life sentence issued […] in Egypt against American citizen Mohamed Soltan,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in the statement.
“We call for Mr Soltan’s immediate release from prison.”
Soltan, 26, was arrested on August 25th 2013 in a raid that was intended to arrest his father and Muslim Brotherhood official Salah Soltan, who is among 14 other Muslim Brotherhood figures sentenced to death on Saturday.
On the March 9th hearing, Soltan addressed the court and Judge Nagy Shehata commenting: “I cannot be made to choose between my nationality and my freedom,” in response to being given the option of renouncing his Egyptian citizenship on the basis of a decree, issued by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, that would allow for the repatriation of foreign prisoners in Egypt.
“We remain deeply concerned about Mr Soltan’s health, which has suffered during his 20 month-long incarceration,” Mr Earnest said.
“The president is deeply committed to the welfare of all US citizens abroad and we will ensure that Mr Soltan continues to receive consular support until he can return safely to the United States, per his wishes.”
To protest his innocence, Mohamed Soltan has been on a hunger strike since January 26 2014, which despite refusal to break it for over 430 days, has previously agreed to make it a partial hunger strike.
The sentence was issued after Soltan’s trial being postponed over 25 times since his arrest.
Comments (8)
[…] Soltan’s imprisonment, the White House released as statement condemning the conviction and urging Soltan’s “immediate release from […]
The US needs to mind its own goddamn business. Who are they to get involved in our internal affairs.
Before criticizing, they should close Guantanamo bay first.
This is America’s business. One of their citizens is imprisoned by a corrupt system. Don’t mess with the USA – Saddam and Gaddafi learned that lesson too late.
The question is why aren’t you angry about these kangaroo court trials and murders of protesters like Shaimaa?
International law cleary states that a dual citizens in his or her home country faces the full extent of the law without interference from the other nation that provided him with his second citizenship.
Whether or not you believe that, he is an Egyptian as much as he is American. The crime in question was committed in Egypt. If an Egyptian was to break American law while in the US, he will face an American judge and be imprisoned in the US.
As for me being angry regarding the “kangaroo court trial”, I’m not, because he’s guilty. His dad is a MB member and he flew to Egypt to back him up. Evidence was shown in court, real evidence which backs the sentence he received (life in prison – in Egypt, thats 20 years).
Another reason not to believe this d0uchebag is because of his so called 430+ days hunger strike which is medically / scientifically impossible.
What law is there in Egypt? Only the law of force. The courts are a joke. In America there is a Constitution with freedom of expression guaranteed, they don’t torture, imprison and kill journalists, lawyers and political opponents like in Egypt.
I don’t understand how just being a member of the MB warrants punishment. The people voted for the MB in 2012. Now that fairly elected president and scores of parliament members are in prison after a military coup. What law gave Sisi the right to overthrow an elected president?
Don’t talk about law.
http://rt.com/usa/213603-torture-panel-shocking-findings/
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cia-torture-report-stunning-findings/story?id=27473273
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/cia-torture-report
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp
They are classified as a terrorist group for all the bombings and chaos currently taking place.
Torture is always wrong, but at least America did not torture lawyers, journalists and opposition politicians in the USA, only a few guys involved in 9/11.
Egypt is a fascist state now – anyone who speaks out is arrested, tortured or killed like Shaimaa was.
The state is so shameless they tried to blame her for being too thin.
There is no evidence that any of these guys, Badri or Soltan, planted bombs.
Sisi is just an old-school brutal dictator. Maybe 30 years from now there will be some freedom on Egypt. I doubt it, though, Egyptians are bred to bow down to a Pharaoh.