Egypt court jails ousted president Morsi for 20 years
Morsi sentenced for involvement in arrests and torture of protesters, acquitted of murder charges
Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi waves inside the defendant’s cage during an earlier court hearing at the police academy in Cairo, on December 7, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
CAIRO:
An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted president Mohamed Morsi and 12 other defendants to 20 years in jail for involvement in the arrests and torture of protesters during his rule.
But the court acquitted Morsi -- Egypt's first freely elected president -- of murder charges that could have seen him sentenced to death over the killings of a journalist and two protesters during clashes outside a presidential palace in 2012.
Morsi, a leader of the now blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood movement, and the other defendants were charged with "using violence and arresting and torturing protesters" during the December 5, 2012 clashes.
Two other defendants were sentenced to 10 years on the same charges.
Defence lawyers said Tuesday's verdict will be appealed.
An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted president Mohamed Morsi and 12 other defendants to 20 years in jail for involvement in the arrests and torture of protesters during his rule.
But the court acquitted Morsi -- Egypt's first freely elected president -- of murder charges that could have seen him sentenced to death over the killings of a journalist and two protesters during clashes outside a presidential palace in 2012.
Morsi, a leader of the now blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood movement, and the other defendants were charged with "using violence and arresting and torturing protesters" during the December 5, 2012 clashes.
Two other defendants were sentenced to 10 years on the same charges.
Defence lawyers said Tuesday's verdict will be appealed.