World leaders, groups pay tribute to Egypt's Morsi after 'slow murder'

World leaders, groups pay tribute to Egypt's Morsi after 'slow murder'

World leaders, Egyptian figures, rights groups and Islamist movements have paid tribute to Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely-elected president, after he collapsed and died inside a Cairo courtroom.
4 min read
18 June, 2019
Egyptian authorities buried Morsi in a dawn ceremony closed to the public and press [Getty]

World leaders, Egyptian figures, rights groups and Islamist movements have paid tribute to Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely-elected president, after he collapsed and died inside a Cairo courtroom on Monday.

Egyptian authorities buried the 67-year-old in a dawn ceremony closed to the public and press early on Tuesday.

Morsi was jailed a year into his presidential term following a 2013 military coup. He spent more of his final days in solitary confinement, was denied healthcare and largely barred from receiving visitors.

A chorus of officials and figures from around the world have responded to Morsi's death.

International community:

Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani expressed his "deep sorrow" over the "sudden death", and extended condolences to his family.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Morsi was a "martyr and a brother", and blamed Egypt's "tyrants" for the death.

"History will never forget those tyrants who led to his death by putting him in jail and threatening him with execution," Erdogan said.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman extended condolences to the Egyptian people, and wished "divine blessing and mercy" for Morsi.

Malaysia's foreign minister said he was "shocked" by the death, and said Morsi had "attempted to lead Egypt away from decades of authoritarian rule and establish true democracy".

The former Queen of Jordan Noor al-Hussein expressed her condolences, hailing him as the only democratically-elected leader in Egypt's history.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric offered condolences to Morsi's relatives and supporters.

British lawmaker Crispin Blunt said his death in custody was representative of Egypt's inability to treat prisoners in accordance with international law.

Egyptian figures:

Former Egyptian vice-President Mohamed ElBaradei expressed his sympathy for Morsi's family in a short tweet.

Former presidential candidate and opposition figure Ayman Nour accused authorities of "deliberately killing Morsi slowly", hailing him as a "martyr".

Hamdeen Sabahi, a former candidate in presidential elections, also conveyed his condolences.

Egyptian novelist Alaa al-Aswany accused authorities of intentionally killing detainees through medical negligence.

Exiled Egyptian footballing legend Mohamed Aboutrika tweeted a prayer for Morsi.

Egyptian actors Amr Waked and Khaled Abol Naga, who are critical of the current regime, both mourned the death.

Rights groups:

Rights group Amnesty International urged Egyptian authorities to open "an impartial, thorough and transparent investigation" into his death.

Human Rights Watch echoed that demand, saying Morsi had suffered years of "insufficient access to medical care".

"The United Nations Human Rights Council... should establish an investigation into ongoing gross violations of human rights in Egypt, including widespread ill-treatment in prisons and Morsi's death," it said.

The Egyptian Front for Human Rights condemned authorities over the death, accusing them of "neglecting his deteriorating health" and violating his rights as a prisoner.

Egyptian human rights defenders Gamal Eid and Bahey el-Din Hassan both expressed condolences, with Hassan warning that other jailed Brotherhood members could meet similar fates.

Islamic groups, leaders:

Prominent Egyptian Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi said Morsi suffered a lot while languishing in prison.

Morsi's Brotherhood accused the government of "assassinating" him through years of poor prison conditions.

The Islamic movement demanded an international investigation into Morsi's death and called on Egyptians to protest outside Egyptian embassies across the world.

The Palestinian Hamas group issued a statement paying tribute to Morsi, praising Morsi's "long struggle spent in the service of Egypt and its people, and primarily the Palestinian cause".

The head of Tunisia's Ennahda movement, Rashed Ghannouchi, called on the Egyptian regime to release all Islamist prisoners and open dialogue with all political factions.

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki said that the death could only be described as "killing under torture".

Mohammed Sudan, leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in London, said Morsi was banned from receiving medicine or visits and there was little information about his health condition.

Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood held "the coup authorities in Egypt responsible for Morsi's death after his detention for seven years in solitary imprisonment".

Algeria's largest Islamic party, the Movement for the Society of Peace, mourned the "oppressed legitimate Egyptian president".

Sudan's Popular Congress Party expressed condolences to the "Arab and Islamic nation and the Egyptian people" over Morsi's martyrdom.

Moroccan Islamist group Justice and Spirituality described Morsi as a "martyr" and said he was being subjected to a "slow death".

Pakistan's religious-political group, Jamaat-e-Islami, said the "Muslim world has lost a true hero".

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