The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights issued its monthly report on death sentences in March, documenting that the death sentence has been issued against 49 people. It also said that there are 21 pending death sentences awaiting the Grand Mufti’s approval. The initiative also documented the implementation of the death sentence against six people. Since the beginning of this year, 22 people have been executed after 12 criminal cases, some of which are political in nature, including one person who was tried before a military court. The Criminal Court also sentenced 43 to death in 22 cases – all of which were preliminary rulings issued in January and February, in addition to referring the papers of 124 accused in 48 cases to the Grand Mufti for his approval. Egypt has been criticised by local and international rights organisations for issuing hundreds of death sentences since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi. According to human rights NGOs, many executions carried out are politicised and retaliatory in nature. The United Nations office for human rights has called on Egyptian authorities to stop issuing death sentences and conduct fair and independent investigations and trials before civil courts.