12/09/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 11 September, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service denounced the confirmation of 75 death sentences during a mass trial of 739 men, who were mostly accused of killing police officers or vandalising public places during riots in Cairo in August 2013. The EEAS spokesperson said that "the circumstances of this mass trial cast serious doubts on the respect of due process and in particular the defendants' rights to a fair trial". The spokesperson also expressed relief that photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid might soon be released, "although the sentence and conditions for his release appear not to be in line with Egypt's Constitution and international obligations". The EEAS spokesperson called for the respect of civil liberties – "an essential part of the foundations of a democratic society". (CG)