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Egypt’s court overturns death sentence to ex-President Morsi — TV

Mohamed Morsi is charged with treason, espionage for foreign militant groups and mass escape of Muslim Brotherhood members from prison during mass riots in January 2011

CAIRO, November 15. /TASS/. Egypt’s Court of Cassation has sustained the appeal of former President Mohamed Morsi and a number of leaders of the outlawed Islamist organization Muslin Brotherhood over death sentence on the case of jailbreak in January 2011 and involvement in mass riots, the local television said on Tuesday.

The higher instance court ruled to overturn the verdict and send the case back for a new trial.

The appeal to challenge the last year’s verdict was lodged on behalf of 27 Islamist leaders sentenced to life or death on this case. In October, prosecutors of the Court of Cassation recommended to revoke the verdict against Morsi.

After the Islamists had been ousted from power in the summer of 2013, criminal cases were opened against most of their leaders and activists. On June 16, Egypt’s criminal court upheld a death sentence to Morsi for being behind jailbreaks and attacks on police during the 2011 riots. He was also sentences to 45 years in jail on other charges, including those of spying for foreign states.

Among those sentenced to capital punishments were Muslim Brotherhood supreme mentor Mohammed Badia, his deputy Rashad al-Bayoumi, Islamist activist Issam al-Aryan and former parliament speaker Saad al-Qatatni. The rest were sentences to life in prison. Charges were brought against 130 people in all but only 27 stood trial, others were sentences in absentia.