Egypt court sentences Brotherhood leader, 36 Islamists to life

An Egyptian court sentenced Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 36 other Islamists to life in prison Saturday, and confirmed death sentences for 10 others, most of them on the run.

The sentences come during a week that has seen Egyptian authorities crack down on the pro-Morsi bloc, arresting several alliance members, including spokesman Magdi Qorqor. 

Early Saturday, Egyptian security forces detained a prominent Salafist preacher, Fawzi al-Saeed, at his home. Al-Saeed is a top religious reference to several Salafist parties as Al-Asala and Al-Fadila, two members of the pro-Morsi National Alliance for the Defense of Legitimacy.

The Brotherhood's spiritual guide Badie, convicted of involvement in deadly protests, had already received death sentences in two other cases in a crackdown on Islamist opposition after last year's military ouster of president Mohamed Morsi.

Of the 10 defendants condemned to death last month in the same case, whose sentences were confirmed on Saturday, an Islamic cleric has since been arrested. One of the 10 is senior Brotherhood leader Abdel-Rahman al-Bar, who is known as the Brotherhood mufti.

Another defendant was sentenced to three years.

Egyptian courts have sparked international concern over a spate of death sentences for more than 200 people in several mass trials.

On Saturday, presiding Judge Hassan Farid said the defendants were involved in violence and murder during protests on 22 July, three weeks after the army overthrew Morsi, who belonged to the Brotherhood.

Two people had been killed and 35 others injured in the violence.

The judge said the defendants had committed the violence "to achieve terrorist goals."

The Brotherhood has been designated as a terrorist movement, with much of its leadership imprisoned, including the former president.