Cairo : An Egyptian court sentenced deposed president Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme guide Mohamed Badie and 100 other Islamists to death for a mass jail break during the country’s 2011 revolution that toppled long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak. The verdict came after the court consulted the Grand Mufti, who according to Egyptian law must review all the death sentences though his decision is not binding.
Six of the defendants attended the trial while 96 others were sentenced in absentia. Twenty-two other defendants were sentenced to life in prison in the same case, while eight defendants were sentenced to two years in prison. There were a total of 129 defendants, including Brotherhood leaders Mohamed Saad El-Katatni, Essam El-Erian, Mohamed El-Beltagy, and Safwat Hegazy. The defendants were also charged with damaging and setting fire to prison buildings, murder and attempted murder, and looting weapons while allowing prisoners to break out of jails during the January 2011 Egyptian Revolution that led to the overthrow of Mubarak.
Youssra El-Sharkawy
