Turkey criticizes Egypt over sentence issued against Morsi

“We deplore the sentencing of former President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted from his position as a result of a military coup staged in 2013 even though he was the first democratically elected president of Egypt, to 20 years in the case in which he was tried with other suspects,” read a written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on April 22. 

Turkey’s reaction came after an Egyptian criminal court sentenced Morsi to 20 years in prison over the killing of protesters in 2012. Turkey’s strongly worded reaction against the coup staged by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was subsequently elected president of Egypt, soured relations between Ankara and Cairo as the two countries declared each other’s ambassadors persona non grata in late 2013. 

The ministry’s statement also expressed its concerns over the future of democracy in Egypt. “Our sincere calls for heeding the legitimate demands of the Egyptian people for a genuine democracy and rule of law continue,” it said.