The adviser to the Grand Mufti of Egypt: Dar al-Ifta’s memorandum on the case of Port Sa’id is consultative … the court is entitled to decide the case if the memorandum is delayed

In an unprecedented move, the court ratified the death sentence of 21 defendants involved in the massacre of Port Sa’id without waiting for the Grand Mufti’s memorandum.

Dr. Ibrahim Negm, adviser to the Grand Mufti of Egypt, said that according to article 381 of the criminal procedure code, the memorandum that the Mufti was supposed to submit to the court concerning the defendants is consultative. He added that the judge is entitled to issue a verdict in capital sentence cases when Dar al-Ifta’s memorandum does not reach the court within 10 days.

Dr. Negm added that there is no comment on a court ruling.

It is important to mention that Dr. Shawqi Allam, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, began his duty as the mufti of Egypt last Monday 4 March. He did not have ample time to study the case in a manner that satisfies his conscience and submit a memorandum to the court.