Egypt: Military court slaps 11 with death penalty

By Sayed Fathy and Mustafa Eid

CAIRO (AA) - An Egyptian military court on Wednesday sentenced 11 people, including a former army officer, to death for "acts of violence".

Khalid al-Masri, a member of the defense team for the defendants, said that one of those sentenced was present for his trial while the rest were tried in absentia.

According to al-Masri, the former Egyptian army officer -- fugitive Hisham Ashmawi -- was among the defendants.

The same court also gave prison terms ranging from three years to 25 to 81 others, 57 of whom were tried in absentia.

Egypt's Interior Ministry on Tuesday oversaw the execution of 15 people convicted earlier for involvement in "acts of violence" in 2013.

Egypt has been roiled by turmoil since the military unseated Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

Since then, hundreds have been sentenced to death on charges of incitement to violence.