Egyptian court sentences Morsi supporters up to 88 yrs in jail

An Egyptian court has sentenced 11 supporters of deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to prison terms ranging from five to 88 years for rioting.

The defendants were arrested during a wave of protests that lead the ousting of Morsi in 2013.

According to the BBC, five of the 11 people sentenced on Saturday were tried in absentia.

The charges against all of the defendants were linked to demonstrations in the town of Samallout triggered by the violent crackdown on pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo, the report said.

All those convicted on Saturday are able to appeal against the verdicts.

(ANI)