US skirts question on executions in Egypt

WASHINGTON

The U.S. State Department avoided answering a question Thursday on the recent execution of nine men by Egyptian authorities, saying it needed to research the issue more.

Asked by an Anadolu Agency correspondent whether the U.S. had anything to say on the matter as well as on reported human rights abuses in the country, spokesman Robert Palladino said he did not have any comment and would like to "gather more information before responding."

"We discuss human rights regularly in all of our interactions when we engage with other nations, and that includes Egypt," Palladino said.

"But we have raised and will continue to raise, at senior levels, the fundamental importance of human rights and human freedoms and the need for a robust civil society.”

The State Department later responded to Anadolu Agency in an emailed statement, saying it is aware of the reports but is not in a position to comment on the executions.

"Capital punishment is permitted under international law, as long as it is imposed and carried out in conformity with a state’s domestic law and international obligations," the statement said.

"We emphasize to all countries the importance of ensuring humane treatment of detainees and respecting fair trial guarantees; we note that Egyptian law makes judicial and executive review available to individuals sentenced to the death penalty.‎"

Last month, Egyptian authorities executed nine young men convicted of assassinating Egypt’s top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, in a June 2015 car bombing in Cairo.

Amnesty International said the men were convicted on terrorism charges after "grossly unfair trials" marred by torture.

The death sentences were carried out despite calls from numerous international rights groups for a stay of execution.

Egyptian authorities also executed another six people last month in two separate cases for the murder of a judge’s son and a senior police officer.

Egypt has remained beset by violence and turmoil since the army deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

*Safvan Allahverdi contributed to this story