Egypt Executes Muslim Brotherhood Supporter Accused Of Throwing Children From Rooftop During Riots

Egyptian authorities on Saturday executed a man sentenced to death for a murder he committed during the mid-2013 riots. It was the first execution of a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood group since it was banned under the rule of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

The country’s Ministry of Interior Affairs reportedly said in a statement on its Facebook page that Mahmoud Hassan Ramadan was hanged because he was convicted in a case involving children being thrown from a building during the 2013 riots. Ramadan was reportedly described as a radical Islamist who was not officially a Brotherhood member, Reuters reported, citing a source.

Sissi gained power in July 2013 after mass protests led to the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi. Since Sissi came to power, the government has cracked down on Muslim Brotherhood supporters, who have been handed down heavy punishments, including death sentences, in mass trials. The Egyptian courts’ move to single out the group’s supporters have been criticized by foreign governments and rights groups.

The death sentence against Ramadan was upheld last month while most of the other death sentences are reportedly under review in a complex method of appeals. Other than Ramadan, 57 other people were handed down a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison in the case. A video also showed Ramadan throw someone off a roof during clashes in Cairo's Sidi Gaber district, with an al Qaeda flag tucked into the back of his trousers, Reuters reported.