UPDATE l Court Sentences Brotherhood Leader Badie to death, Refers Files to Mufti

An Egyptian court sent on Monday the files of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 682 others to the country’s Grand Mufti over violence that followed the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi last year.

The defendants are accused of inciting violence and killing protesters in the governorate of Minya.

The final verdict will be announced on June 21.

The court also sentenced 37 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death and 491 others to life earlier. The files of these 528 defendants were referred to the country’s Grand Mufti on March 24 sparking a wave of criticism from western countries and human rights groups.

Only 147 out of the 528 defendants attended today’s hearing. Most were sentenced in absentia.

The verdicts can be appealed.

Source: Aswat Masriya