Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted as the president of Egypt in 2013, was sentenced to 20 years in maximum security prison for using force against protesters.
As Egypt’s military chief, current president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi led the removal of Morsi in July 2013. Millions protested Morsi’s rule.
In addition to Morsi, 12 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders and Islamist supporters were also sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The former president and his co-defendants “were found guilty of intimidation, general violence and torture of protesters,” reports Egyptian Streets, adding that two other defendants received 10 years.
“The deposed President and Muslim Brotherhood member was among 15 high profile Muslim Brotherhood leaders on trial for the killing of protesters outside the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in December 2012,” notes Egyptian Streets.
Ten people reportedly died outside of the Presidential Palace and more than 700 others were wounded.
Morsi was Egypt’s first democratically elected president. The former president is expected to appeal his sentence.
“The case was the latest in a series of mass trials on a range of charges against Morsi and other members of his Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt’s government has vowed to crush, branding it a terrorist organization,” reports The Associated Press.
“The U.S. government also expressed reservations about the Morsi verdict, but State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the Obama administration would withhold judgment for now,” adds the article.
Follow Edwin Mora on Twitter:@EdwinMora83
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