Egypt jails 79 Morsi supporters

An Egyptian court has jailed 79 Mohamed Morsi supporters for participating in deadly clashes in Alexandria last year.

An Egyptian court has sentenced 79 supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi to jail terms of between five and 10 years over their involvement in deadly clashes, judicial sources say.

The defendants were convicted for participating in clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents that killed 12 people in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria last July, after the military overthrew the Islamist president, the sources said.

Since Morsi's ouster, his supporters have been staging weekly protests calling for his reinstatement.

The rallies have often degenerated into violent street clashes with security forces and civilian opponents.

Eleven defendants were given 10 years in jail, 13 were jailed for seven years.

Another 55 were jailed for five years and seven acquitted, the sources added.

They were accused of murder, attempted murder, carrying weapons, and torturing 16 people in an Alexandria mosque, the sources said.

At least 1400 people, mostly Islamists, have been killed in street clashes since Morsi's overthrow, and thousands have been jailed.

Hundreds have been sentenced in mass trial.


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Source: AAP

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Egypt jails 79 Morsi supporters | SBS News