Egypt top court upholds death sentences against 13 over terror charges

Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-07 20:55:58|Editor: xuxin
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CAIRO, May 7 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court on Tuesday upheld the death sentences against 13 people over charges of terrorist attacks, official news agency MENA reported.

In fact, the appeals of 39 people were rejected by the Court of Cassation, Egypt's supreme court.

The court also confirmed life sentences, an equivalent of 25 years in prison in Egypt, against 17 people.

Other verdicts varied from 15 years to five years in prison.

The defendants were found guilty of planting explosive devices and targeting security check points and police stations.

The case dates back to 2013, just after the army-led ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in response to mass protests against his one-year rule.

The prosecutor said these people established a group named Egypt Soldiers which called for killing the ruler, assaulting police and armed forces institutions, murdering Christians and destroying churches.

Their attacks on the security checkpoint at Cairo University killed a police officer, three soldiers and wounded several policemen, according to the prosecution.

Hundreds of Morsi's loyalists and members of his outlawed Muslim Brotherhood have been subject to trials over charges of murder, espionage and terror.

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