News   /   Egypt

Egypt's cassation court rejects Muslim Brotherhood leader's appeal

The file photo shows Mohamed Badie, the leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. (Photo by AFP)

The leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, has lost his appeal against a life sentence over his alleged role in protests following the 2013 ouster of the country’s first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

Judicial sources said the judgment by the court of cassation against the sentence could not be appealed.

In the same case, the court on Wednesday upheld life sentences against seven other people and handed 10-year sentences to 39 and three-year sentences to 19 others.

Last year, an Egyptian court found Badie and dozens of other defendants guilty of participating in clashes in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia that left three people dead in 2013. They were also charged with attempting to kill 16 others. Thuggery and vandalizing public property were among other offences related to the clashes in Ismailia.

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

The Brotherhood has faced a crackdown since Morsi was ousted in the coup led by the then head of the armed forces 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.

The Brotherhood was later blacklisted as a terrorist organization by authorities in a bid to prevent its affiliates from running in elections.

International rights groups have repeatedly blasted the government of Sisi for launching a heavy-handed crackdown on anti-government protesters and stifling the freedom of speech.

The clampdown has led to the deaths of over 1,400 people and the arrest of 22,000 others, while hundreds have been sentenced to death in mass trials, according to figures provided by various human rights groups.

Morsi himself has been sentenced to death.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku