Egypt court upholds jail terms for Muslim Brotherhood members

Cairo, July 12 (IANS) An Egyptian court turned downan appeal by Muslim Brotherhood member Mahmoud Makawi Afifi, upholding a 20-year prison sentence by a criminal court over his involvement in violence that took place in the 2012, it was reported.

The case involved violence against protesters who were holding a sit-in in front of the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo, during which journalist El-Husseini Abu-Deif was killed, reports the Al Ahram newspaper.

On Saturday, the Court of Cassation also upheld the verdict against the late deposed President Mohamed Morsi and Brotherhood leaders including Mohamed El-Beltagy, Issam El-Erian, and six others in the same case.

The Brotherhood leaders were sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The Court of Cassation’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

Affi was convicted by a criminal court in April 2014. He was sentenced in absentia to 20 years imprisonment, and was later arrested and convicted again in a retrial.

On December 5, 2012 under Morsi’s regime, opposition forces rallied in front of the Ittihadiya to peacefully protest a presidential decree giving the late leader immunity from judicial oversight, said the Al Ahram newspaper report.

The following morning, hundreds of Morsi supporters stormed a small overnight sit-in.

This prompted thousands of Morsi’s opponents to demonstrate again at the palace, resulting in clashes with his followers.

At least 10 people were killed, including Abu-Deif, the 33-year-old journalist who was covering the protest.

–IANS

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