Egyptian court sentences Muslim Brotherhood leaders

Former top members of the now blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood have been sentenced to life in jail - a term that amounts to 25 years. Around 15,000 of the group's members and supporters have been arrested since last year.

An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie along with 14 others to life in prison.

The members of the party, which was deemed a terrorist organization after a military coup ousted the government last summer, stood trial at the Giza Criminal Court on charges of murder and inciting violence during several days of violent protests between Egyptian authorities and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Badie had been spiritual leader of the Brotherhood and had already been sentenced to life imprisonment and to death in previous trials. The 71-year-old was one of nearly 200 of the organization's members to be sentenced to death in mass trials in March that were condemned by Western governments and rights groups.

A government crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, which was deemed a terrorist organization, and Morsi supporters has left nearly 2,000 people dead and seen 15,000 incarcerated since last year.

sb (AFP, Reuters, PTI)  dw de