Egypt gives long jail sentences to 23 Morsi supporters

An Egyptian court has given lengthy prison terms to 23 supporters of ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, over their alleged role in a deadly protest against the overthrow of Morsi in 2013.

Judicial officials said on Wednesday that the court jailed 15 defendants for life in prison while three of them received 15-year terms and the rest of the defendants were sentenced to 10 years behind bars.

The unnamed sources added that the defendants were convicted of killing three civilians during a protest near state television headquarters in Cairo on July 5, 2013.

The defendants were also charged with "carrying weapons and attacking state institutions" during the demonstration.

In July 2013, Egypt’s first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted by the military under the leadership of Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, the country's current president.

On August 14, 2013, Egyptian security forces raided two camps of pro-Morsi protesters in Cairo: One at the al-Nahda Square and another larger one at the Rabaa al-Adawiya Square.

According to the Egyptian Health Ministry, the attacks claimed the lives of 638 people, 595 of whom were civilians, and injured at least 3,994 others.

EA