ANKARA — Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has criticised the death penalty issued against 529 people in Egypt.

In a TV interview on Wednesday, Davutoğlu said Turkey stood with the Egyptian people since the beginning of the unrest which followed the removal of democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

"The death penalty decision will not provide stability in Egypt, but cause a deeper polarization," Davutoğlu said.

On 24 March, 528 individuals were sentenced to death in Egypt on charges related to violence south of the capital Cairo. At least 600 more individuals are currently on trial for similar charges. Egypt's foreign minister, Nabil Fahmy, said the 529 people sentenced to death have not yet received their final verdict.

Davutoğlu also welcomed Wednesday afternoon's unanimous declaration by Turkey's National Assembly condemning the death sentences and urging Egypt not to implement the decisions.