Egypt Brotherhood leader sentenced to life behind bars

By Sayyed Fathi and Mustafa Eid

CAIRO (AA) - An Egyptian court on Thursday sentenced Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 15 others to life in prison after being convicted for alleged acts of violence following Egypt’s 2013 military coup, according to judicial sources.

“The Beni Sueif Criminal Court sentenced Badie and 15 others -- 12 of them in absentia -- to life behind bars,” the source, who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to speak to the media, said.

During the trial, the source added, the defendants had denied all charges against them.

The same case saw 77 others, 42 of whom were tried in absentia, sentenced to 15 years in jail. These included Abdel-Azim al-Sharqawi, a leading Muslim Brotherhood member who passed away late last month.

According to the same judicial source, the sentences can still be appealed before the Court of Cassation, Egypt’s highest appellate court.

Egypt’s 2013 military coup was followed by a harsh crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected leader and a Muslim Brotherhood leader.

The police crackdown, which remains ongoing, saw hundreds of Morsi supporters killed and thousands more thrown behind bars.