Egypt court sentences Muslim Brotherhood leader to life in prison

An Egyptian court has sentenced the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and 35 other members of the outlawed movement to life in prison over their alleged role in protests following the 2013 ouster of the country’s first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

Egyptian judicial officials said on Monday that Mohamed Badie and the 35 defendants in the trial were found guilty of participating in clashes in the Suez canal city of Ismailia that left three people dead in July 2013.

The Brotherhood leader had already received prison terms, including a death sentence, in other trials.

The court also convicted and sentenced 48 other members to jail terms ranging from three to 15 years. It also exonerated 20 people involved in the case.

Egypt’s military courts have been under fire by rights groups for their harsh verdicts.

The Muslim Brotherhood has faced crackdown since Morsi was ousted in a coup led by the then military chief and current president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in July 2013.

Since the ouster of Morsi, thousands of anti-government protesters, mostly Brotherhood supporters, have been sentenced to jail by civilian and military courts.

SS