PM Erdoğan slams Egyptian court’s verdict to execution for 529 Muslim Brotherhood members

ANKARA

DHA Photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has denounced a recent Egyptian court verdict for the execution of 529 Muslim Brotherhood officials, slamming both the opposition parties and the Western world for what he said was “inaction and silence.”

“They [the opposition] have stood with al-Sisi in Egypt. Now this coup plotter is preparing himself for the Egyptian presidency. Can we remain silent to all this? Thousands of people will be killed, Esma will be killed, 529 people will be executed. I ask you now, do you hear the voice of the world?” Erdoğan said during the parliamentary group meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on April 22.  

Known for his staunch opposition to Egypt’s new rulers, the Turkish prime minister repeated his claim that there were double-standards in the West regarding the ruling. “The world stands up for Twitter, why don’t you speak out about this? Is human life that cheap?” he said.

He added that although capital punishment is banned in the European Union, no criticism is voiced by Europe. “And no voice comes from Russia, the United States, or other countries,” he said.

Erdoğan has been one of the most vocal backers of Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi and the protests of his supporters following the military takeover of July 3, 2013.