Egypt court orders retrial of 77 Muslim Brotherhood supporters

A court in Egypt today ordered a retrial for 77 Muslim Brotherhood supporters, who were earlier sentenced between five to ten years in prison for taking part in violent acts in the coastal city of Alexandrian in 2013.

The incident took place on July 26, 2013, at Al-Qaed Ibrahim Square, where Muslim brotherhood supporters were protesting against the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by the then army general Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

The violent clashes between Morsi supporters and the police, left at least 12 people dead and about 180 others injured.

The defendants were charged of thuggery, rioting, killing, attempted killing, demonstration of force, possession of weapons, blocking roads, sabotaging public and private properties, among other charges.

Since Morsi’s ouster, the Egyptian government has been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters.

Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood supreme guide Mohamed Badie and 100 other leaders were sentenced in June for escaping from prison in 2011.

Badie and Morsi were sentenced to life in prison on charges of spying for Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanese group Hezbollah, and Iran.