Morsi's son jailed on drug charges

An Egyptian court Wednesday sentenced the son of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and one of his friends to a year in prison for possession of drugs.

The duo was also fined 10,000 Egyptian pounds (around $1,400).

Abdullah Morsi, 20, along with his friend, was arrested in Qalioubiya province in northern Cairo for allegedly possessing two cigarettes stuffed with hashish in March this year, Xinhua reported

The presiding judge of the Benha Criminal Court said the court used the utmost degree of mercy towards Morsi's son Abdullah and his friend because they are students and "due to their young age".

Morsi himself and several other Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been in custody for trial on a number of charges including ordering the killing of protesters, insulting the judiciary, espionage and jailbreak.

The Muslim Brotherhood-oriented president was overthrown by the military in July last year after mass protests against his one-year rule.