Egypt court sentences top Muslim Brotherhood leader to life in prison News
Egypt court sentences top Muslim Brotherhood leader to life in prison

[JURIST] An Egyptian court Monday sentenced Mohamed Badie [Washington Institute backgrounder; JURIST news archive], leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood [party website], to life in prison and 14 others to 25 years in prison for murder and inciting violence. The case against Badie, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, stems [Reuters report] from violence that broke out in the Giza neighborhood of Cairo in July 2013 shortly after then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi [Al Jazeera backgrounder] toppled president Mohamed Morsi [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. According to Reuters Monday’s court proceedings had been designated for witness statements to be heard, but the presiding judge issued a verdict before any statements were given, finding the parties guilty of murdering five people and attempting to murder 100 others.

Badie has received multiple life sentences and the death penalty from Egyptian courts in the aftermath of Morsi’s ouster and the subsequent crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood. In July an Egyptian high court sentenced [JURIST report] Badie to life in prison for inciting violence and protests near the al-Istiqamah Mosque in the Giza. In June the Giza Criminal Court sentenced [JURIST report] Badie, for the second time in three months, to death for allegedly inciting violence that resulted in the death of 10 people near the al-Istiqamah Mosque. The same month an Egyptian court sentenced [JURIST report] 12 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death for the murder of former Deputy Director of Giza Security Nabil Farrag. In April an Egyptian judge sentenced [JURIST report] Badie and a total of 683 alleged Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death. UN human rights officials argued earlier this year that the mass trials in Egypt violate international law [JURIST report].