Egypt court upholds death sentence on eight Muslim Brotherhood members

Egypt court upholds death sentence on eight Muslim Brotherhood members

An Egyptian court on Tuesday upheld the death sentences passed on eight members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood convicted of assaulting a police station in 2013, official MENA news agency reported.

The Cairo Criminal Court made the decision after receiving the approval of the Grand Mufti, the highest religious authority in Egypt.

The case dates back to August 2013 during a security crackdown on supporters of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi after his ouster in September.

The eight brotherhood members broke into Helwan Police Station, killing six people, including three policemen, and wounding 19 others, authorities said.

They also set the police station and security vehicles ablaze.

A total of 50 others were sentenced to life imprisonment, which is equal to 25 years in jail in Egypt.

Egypt has been battling waves of anti-security activities, mostly centred in North Sinai, since the army-led ouster of Morsi in 2013.

Islamists said the attacks targeting security personnel and the Copts were in retaliation for the crackdown against Morsi’s supporters and the Christians loyalty to the army.

Mr. Morsi, along with prominent figures of his brotherhood group, was sentenced to death over killing protesters, spying for foreign countries and other charges, but most of the charges are still appealable.

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