Egypt: court sentences Morsi to death
An Egyptian court on May 16 sentenced ex-president Mohammed Morsi and more than 100 others to death for their involvement in a mass prison break in 2011. The prison break occurred during the country's 2011 uprising that ousted then-president Hosni Mubarak. Morsi was accused of conspiring with foreign militants to free Islamists during the mass prison breaks. The case was referred by Judge Shaaban el-Shami to the nation's top Muslim theologian for his non-binding opinion on whether the sentences should stand, as is customary for all death sentences in Egypt. Amr Darrag, co-founder of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and cabinet minister under Morsi, denounced the verdict, saying that day would be "remembered as one of the darkest days in Egypt history." Amnesty International also spoke against the verdict, calling for a retrial and stating that all evidence gathered against the former president and his co-defendants was inadmissible as a result of their illegal detention before trial.
From Jurist, May 16. Used with permisison.
Egypt court upholds ex-president Morsi's death sentence
An Egyptian court upheld the death sentence of deposed president Mohammed Morsi on June 16 after consulting the grand Mufti, Egypt's highest religious figure and advisor on Islamic law. The death sentence was originally imposed in May, with more than 100 other defendants sentenced to death in absentia. Also June 16, Morsi was sentenced to life in prison for spying and "colluding with foreign governments." The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party spokesman Nader Oman expressed surprise and said the accused were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. The verdict may be appealed to Egypt's highest court. (Jurist)