Bassem Ouda

Bassem Kamal Mohamed Ouda (, born 16 April 1970), commonly known as Bassem Ouda, is an Egyptian politician who is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). He served as Egypt's Minister of Supply and Interior Trade between January and July 2013, when he resigned due to the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état. He was later arrested, tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in a politically motivated trial.

Early life Bassem Kamal Mohamed Ouda was born in Algeria in 1970.

Career Ouda was one of the candidates for the secretariat of the FJP in 2011. He was the head of the fuel file in President Mohamed Morsi's 100-day plan during the latter's presidential champaign. He also heads the energy committee of the FJP. Ouda replaced Zeid Mohamed in the post. He and other FJP members in the cabinet resigned from office on 4 July 2013 following the 2013 coup d'état in Egypt. Ouda's term officially ended on 16 July 2013 when the interim government led by Hazem Al Beblawi was formed.

Post-coup arrest and trial On 12 November 2013, Egyptian security forces arrested Ouda on accusation of incitement of violence.

First case On 19 July 2014, an initial death sentence ruling was made against a number of previous members and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in a case known as "Masjid Al-Istqama incident". However the Grand Mufti of Egypt refused to certify the ruling, hence the case was sent back to court.

On 10 January 2019, the Giza criminal court found Ouda, and 6 other individuals, not guilty in the "Masjid Al-Istiqama Incident" case during the final ruling.

Second case A second case was brought against Ouda alongside 45 others, including the then Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohammed Badie, for participating in protests in Rabaa square. On 8 October 2018, Ouda was found guilty by the Giza criminal court and was sentenced to life imprisonment along with 31 others, 12 were sentenced to death, including Badie, and only 3 were found not guilty by the court.

On 14 June 2021, the Court of Cassation upheld the decision against all 43 individuals including Bassem Ouda.

Personal life