Egypt opposition urges EU heads to boycott Sharm summit

CAIRO (AA) – Egyptian opposition figures have urged European leaders to boycott an Arab-European summit -- slated for Sunday in Sharm el-Sheikh -- to protest this week’s execution of nine young convicts by the Egyptian authorities.

Opposition figures made the appeal in a Friday letter to the European Parliament, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, and a number of other European leaders.

“Your attendance at this summit will only give [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi more legitimacy and encourage him to continue his policies,” the letter reads.

Letter signatories also warn that the al-Sisi regime will maintain its frequent resort to capital punishment in the absence of any punitive measures.

The document is signed by Amr Darraj, a former minister of planning and international cooperation; Ayman Nour, a rights advocate and former presidential candidate; Mohamed Mahsoub, a former minister of parliamentary affairs; and prominent activist Mohamed Sultan.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian authorities executed nine young men convicted earlier for alleged involvement in the 2015 assassination of Egyptian Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat.