7 defendants sentenced to death over killing policeman

CAIRO - 10 June 2018: Seven members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group were handed down initial death sentences on Sunday over charges of killing a policeman in Zaqaziq city of Sharqia governorate.

The court set June 12 to issue its final ruling after taking the advisory opinion of the Grand Mufti.

The convicts were charged of shooting a 37-year-old policeman dead while he was going to work in Abu Hamad police station in August 2015.

Three days ago, Giza Criminal Court sentenced 18 defendants to 15 years in prison over storming Atfeeh police station in August 2013, following the ousting of Muslim Brotherhood affiliated President Mohamed Morsi.

A number of 10 defendants in the case were also sentenced to five years in prison. The defendants also faced charges of damaging public and private property, possessing weapons, rioting and using violence.

Dozens of policemen and hundreds of Morsi supporters were killed during the dispersal of pro-Morsi protests in Al-Nahda and Rabaa Al-Adaweya squares, following the ousting of Morsi on July 3, 2013. The two parties held each other responsible for the violence.

Since the ousting of Morsi, Egypt has put a number of people on a proscribed terrorist list over inciting chaos across the country.