Egypt court ratifies death sentence for 8 Morsi loyalists

An Egyptian court ratified on Tuesday the death sentences of eight supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi on charges of violence and murder following security dispersals of pro-Morsi sit-ins in mid-August 2013.

Among the 119 defendants in the case, Menia Criminal Court also sentenced 83 defendants to 25 years in prison and 14 defendants to 15 years, Xinhua reported.

The case dates back to mid-August 2013 when Morsi's supporters, particularly those of the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, committed acts of violence in response to the dispersal of two major pro-Morsi sit-ins in Giza and Cairo. More than 1,000 people were killed and thousands more arrested in those actions.

The defendants have been accused of committing acts of violence, joining the Brotherhood "terrorist group," assaulting state properties, deliberately murdering two policemen and a guard after breaking into Samalout police station in Menia and seizing weapons and ammunition there.

Morsi was removed by the military in early July 2013 after mass protests against his one-year rule and his Brotherhood group.

Anti-government terrorist activities targeting security men have prevailed in the country since then, leaving hundreds of security personnel killed.

Most of the terror attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Most Brotherhood leaders, including Morsi himself and the group's top chief Mohamed Badie, are currently in custody. They have received appealable death sentences and life imprisonments over charges varying from inciting violence, murder to jailbreak.

--Indo-Asian News Serevice

ahm/vt