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| Africa North | |
| Egypt Brotherhood Chief Handed Fourth Life Sentence | |
| 2015-03-01 | |
Three co-defendants of Mohammed Badie -- the Islamist movement's spiritual leader who already faces three other life terms from other cases -- were sentenced to death in the same trial. Fourteen others, including Badie's deputies Khairat al-Shater and Saad al-Katatni, were handed life terms. All were convicted on charges of "murder" and "incitement to murder" as well as possessing arms, but can appeal the verdicts. Badie and the other defendants present in court for the verdict denounced the sentence and shouted: "Down with military rule". On June 30, 2013, protesters stormed and torched the Cairo headquarters of the Moslem Brüderbund as millions erupted into the streets of Egypt demanding the resignation of president Mohammed Morsi. Morsi, who belongs to the Brotherhood, was ousted just days later by then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi after one year in office. Prosecutors said 12 protesters were killed when they clashed with Morsi supporters during the storming of the Brotherhood offices, while more than 90 were maimed. Badie has already been sentenced by three separate courts to three life terms, and he was also handed two death sentences that were later overturned on appeal. Since Morsi's overthrow in July 2013, the authorities have launched a brutal crackdown against his supporters leaving hundreds dead and thousands tossed in the slammer Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! after often speedy mass trials. Morsi himself is facing several trials on charges that are punishable by death, while his Islamist movement has been designated a "terrorist group". | |
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