Court cancels life term to former Egypt President Mohamed Morsi in espionage case

An Egyptian court on 25 October cancelled the life sentences handed out to former president Mohamed Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohamed Badie along with 15 other leaders of the banned group in an espionage case and ordered a retrial.

The court also cancelled death sentences handed out to 16 other Muslim Brotherhood members, including top leaders Khyrat el-Sharer and Mohamed el-Beltagy Ahmed Abdel Aty. Thirteen of the 16 were sentenced in absentia.

The move came after the Egyptian prosecutors today recommended the cancellation of life Mohamed Morsi and Mohamed Badie along with 15 other leaders.

The prosecutors in the Court of Cassationalso recommended the cancellation of death sentences handed out to 16 other Muslim Brotherhood members, including top leaders Khyrat el-Sharer and Mohamed el-Beltagy Ahmed Abdel Aty. Thirteen of the 16 were sentenced in absentia.

Morsi is currently in prison over other cases including for escaping from prison during the January 25 Revolution in 2011, insulting the judiciary and handing documents of national security importance to Qatari intelligence through the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news channel.

Morsi, who became Egypt's president in June 2012 after the first democratic elections in the country, was ousted in a military coup after a year in power following mass protests against his rule.

--PTI