An Egyptian court on Saturday confirmed former president Mohamed Morsi's 20-year prison sentence. The prison sentence arose from a conviction for the killings of protesters during 2012 demonstrations.
In addition to Morsi, several other senior figures from the Muslim Brotherhood were charged in April 2015 for kidnapping, torture, and the killings of the protesters. Morsi has also been sentenced in three other cases, including a death penalty and a life sentence.
Morsi was elected President of Egypt in 2012 following the Egyptian Revolution. After only a year in power, Morsi was deposed by the military in July 2013 and criminal charges were first raised against him in September of the same year.
In August 2014 the Supreme Administrative Court in Egypt banned the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi's political party, from the country. An Egyptian appeals court acquitted Morsi's former prime minister, Hisham Qandil, in July of that year.
Morsi's trial in Cairo was adjourned in February 2014 after a brief appearance in court. Following the initial charges of "incitement to murder," Morsi was also charged with espionage and terrorism in December 2013.
(Published by Jurist - October 24, 2016)