[JURIST] An Egyptian court upheld the death sentence of deposed president Mohammed Morsi [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] on Tuesday after consulting the grand Mufti, Egypt’s highest religious figure and a government advisor on Islamic law. The death sentence was originally imposed [JURIST report] in May, with more than 100 other defendants sentenced to death in absentia. The sentences were ordered as a punishment for involvement in the 2011 uprising [JURIST backgrounder] and prison break that ousted then-president Hosni Mubarak [BBC profile]. Also on Tuesday Morsi was sentenced [Guardian report] to life in prison for spying and “colluding with foreign governments.” Muslim Brotherhood Freedom and Justice Party [party website] spokesman Nader Oman expressed surprise [Al Jazeera report] and said the defendants were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. The verdict may be appealed to Egypt’s highest court.

The Muslim Brotherhood [JURIST news archive] has been facing legal challenges, particularly in Egypt. In February an Egyptian court put Morsi on trial [JURIST report] over accusations of spying and leaking information to Qatar. Earlier in February an Egyptian court ordered the release [JURIST report] on bail of two Al Jazeera journalists being retried on terror charges. Baher Mohammed and Mohammed Fahmy have spent more than 400 days in jail after a court found them guilty for falsifying news reports and associating with the Muslim Brotherhood. Also that month a court in Egypt confirmed death sentences [JURIST report] for 183 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted president Mohammed Morsi. In October an Egyptian court jailed eight men [JURIST report], including two Muslim Brotherhood leaders, for 15 years over the torture of a lawyer during 2011 uprisings against former president Hosni Mubarak.