CAIRO
Egyptian authorities have executed a supporter of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, who was convicted of committing murder.
"In line with the court verdicts and after exhausting all appeals, Egypt's prison authority executed Mahmoud Ramadan by hanging," the interior ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Ramadan had been convicted of throwing opponents from the roof of a building in the coastal city of Alexandria in the summer of 2013.
He was the first supporter of Morsi to be hanged since the army unseated the elected President in mid-2013.
"[Ramadan had been hanged] for joining others in throwing children off the roof of a building in Alexandria during riots organized by the Muslim Brotherhood on July 5, 2013," the ministry said.
Alexandria Criminal Court condemned Ramadan to death in May of 2014, a verdict that was upheld in February.
The killing took place two days after the army ousted Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president – following massive protests against his one-year rule.
Egypt's army-backed authorities have since launched a wide-ranging crackdown on supporters of Morsi and his embattled Muslim Brotherhood group, detaining thousands and killing hundreds.
Egyptian authorities have also branded the Brotherhood a "terrorist" group on claims that it condones violence, an allegation dismissed by the movement, which says it is committed to peaceful activism.
Wife of hanged Morsi supporter blames Egypt media
The wife of Mahmoud Ramadan, whose husband was hanged by Egyptian authorities, said he was the victim of a "media misinformation campaign".
Ramadan was hanged after being convicted of murdering opponents of ousted President Mohamed Morsi by throwing them from the roof of a building in the coastal city of Alexandria in mid-2013.
He was the first supporter of Morsi to be hanged since the army unseated the elected President in the summer of 2013.
"My husband was a victim of the pro-coup media, which has sought to promote the notion of terrorism [among the public]," Leen Mohamed told The Anadolu Agency.
Recalling the incident, the mother of two said that her husband had taken to the street to protest the removal of Morsi by the military.
She said her husband and a group of Morsi supporters had gone up to the building's roof to disperse a group of "thugs" attacking supporters with guns loaded with birdshots and stones.
"Mahmoud was never a thug," Leen said, fighting back her tears.
"His confessions aired by the Interior Ministry were taken under duress," she claimed.
The Interior Ministry said Saturday that Mahmoud had been executed.
The killing took place two days after the army ousted Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president – following massive protests against his one-year rule.
Egypt's army-backed authorities have since launched a wide-ranging crackdown on supporters of Morsi and his embattled Muslim Brotherhood group, detaining thousands and killing hundreds.
Egyptian authorities have also branded the Brotherhood a "terrorist" group on claims that it condones violence, an allegation dismissed by the movement, which says it is committed to peaceful activism.
