Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 07:39 AM IST

  Court recommends death for 6, two of them Jazeera journalist

Court recommends death for 6, two of them Jazeera journalist

AFP
Published : May 8, 2016, 2:35 am IST
Updated : May 8, 2016, 2:35 am IST

An Egyptian court recommended death sentences on Saturday for six co-defendants of Mohamed Morsi but not for the ousted Islamist President in their trial on espionage charges.

Patrick Ekeng
 Patrick Ekeng

An Egyptian court recommended death sentences on Saturday for six co-defendants of Mohamed Morsi but not for the ousted Islamist President in their trial on espionage charges.

The presiding judge in the trial asked the mufti — the country’s official interpreter of Islamic law — to consider death sentences for the six codefendants, saying the court would convene again on June 18 after the mufti’s response.

It will then pronounce its verdict and sentence for the remaining five defendants, including Morsi, on charges of having supplied Qatar with classified documents.

Egyptian law requires the mufti to sign off on death sentences. His opinion is not binding but is usually respected by courts.

The six facing a death sentence include Ibrahim Mohamed Hilal, whom the prosecution had identified as a senior editor with the Qatar-based channel Al Jazeera. He was tried in absentia. Another, also tried in absentia, is Jordanian citizen Alaa Omar Mohamed Sablan, identified by the prosecution as an Al Jazeera producer.

Morsi has has already received sentences in three separate trials. He has been sentenced to death for his alleged role in prison breaks and attacks on police stations during the 2011 uprising that overthrew veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi was one of the leaders of the Brotherhood who had been jailed during the 18-day uprising, escaping with thousands of inmates who broke out of prison.

He was also sentenced to life in prison for espionage on behalf of Iran and militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, and received a 20 year term for deadly clashes outside the presidential palace in 2012 between his supporters and opponents.

Location: Egypt, Kairo, Cairo