Egyptian Court Sentences Five Foreigners to Death for Attempted Drug Smuggling

An Egyptian judge ruled that five foreigners would be sentenced to death, following their drug smuggling conviction on Monday.

The five men, including British citizen Charles Raymond Ferndale, 74, and three inhabitants of western Indian Ocean chain of islands the Seychelles, will be killed by hanging, a court official told the Associated Press.

The fifth condemned man was from Pakistan, and he escaped in the midst of his arrest. He was given his sentencing in absentia.

The four men who were captured received their death sentencing from inside a cage placed within the court room, in the tourist destination of Hurghada on the Red Sea coast, Reuters reported.

They were arrested two years ago for possession of three tonnes-about 6613 pounds-of hashish, as they tried to smuggle the drugs into Egypt by way of ship.

All of the men were sailors, and were taken into government custody near the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam.

The British Foreign office told AP that they were concerned about the harsh sentencing, saying that their team would follow up on the case at the British consulate in Egypt.

"The British government is extremely concerned at the death sentence passed down to a British national," the spokesperson, who spoke to the Associated Press on conditions of anonymity, said. "we are opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Our consular team in Cairo is in contact with the British national involved and we will do our utmost to prevent this execution."

The court also doled out a 94 million Egyptian pounds, about $13.46 million, to the defendants. They are allowed to appeal the verdict.

Reuters reported that death penalties in Egypt, although often given out, are rarely brought to the finish.