Egypt upholds death penalty against 12 Muslim Brotherhood members

Dubai: Egypt’s Court of Cassation on Monday upheld death sentences against 12 leaders of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood for their involvement in the 2013 sit-in protest in Rabaa Al Adawiya, local media said.

The death penalties are final and will be implemented after they are approved by Egypt’s Grand Mufti.

According to a juridical source, the Cassation Court upheld the death penalty that was earlier issued by the Court of Appeal against 12 leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, including its mufti Abdul Rahman Al Berr, Safwat Hejazi, Mohammed Al Beltaji and Osama Yasin.

The court found them guilty of killing police officers, inciting violence and damaging property during the 2013 violence in the Rabaa Al Adawiya square in Cairo.

The court also reduced captial punishment to life imprisonment against 32 others.