An Egyptian court has sentenced 683 supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi to death.
One of the convicts is the supreme leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie.
The Egyptian government has outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood accusing it of sponsoring violence and terrorism. Mr. Morsi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party.
Judge Saeed Youssef also confirmed the death sentence of 37 of 529 people he sentenced to death on March 24 in a trial that was widely condemned by the international community for its irregularities. The other defendants from the first case whose death sentences were reviewed were each sentenced to 25 years in prison, AL-Jazeera reports.
Monday’s sentencing was condemned by lawyers of the accused, many of whom boycotted the sitting and accused the judge of being a ‘butcher.’
Al-Jazeera quotes Lawyer Mohamed Abdel Waheb, who represents 25 of the defendants, as saying the verdict was handed down in a court session lasting less than five minutes. He also said the single session in the trial lasted just four hours, during which the judge refused to listen to any arguments from the defence.
Only about 77 of the convicts were in court with the rest tried in absentia. The judgement can be appealed at the court of appeal while those absent can seek a retrial.
Monday’s convicts were accused of attacking a police station and killing a police officer on August 14 when news filtered that security operatives had killed hundreds of supporters of Mr. Morsi who were involved in peaceful sit-ins in Cairo.
The protesters were demanding the release and reinstatement of Mr. Morsi who was removed by the military after protests against his government.
Mr. Morsi, who had held office for only a year, is still being held in prison since his ouster and is also being tried in separate cases.