Egyptian court jails 63 Brotherhood members for 15 years

An Egyptian court today sentenced 63 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to 15 years in prison and five others to ten years for their involvement in the "Azbakeya Riots" case.
The defendants were charged with murder, attempted murder, sabotaging public and private properties, attacking people and mobilising for the purpose of disrupting the implementation of laws and regulations.
The court has also ordered all the 68 convicts to be placed under security supervision for five years after the prison term.
The defendants were arrested after deadly clashes erupted in Cairo on the 40th anniversary of the 1973 war against Israel in October last year.

Muslim Brotherhood supporters marched against the military en route to Tahrir Square, where thousands were already celebrating the occasion and voicing support for the army.
In a separate case, Minya Criminal court today sentenced 15 Muslim Brotherhood members to 18 years in prison and 135,000 Egyptian pounds fine each for blocking roads, disrupting the constitutional referendum and joining a banned group.

The incident took place in January this year as Egyptians voted for a new constitution, when supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi opposed the referendum and called for its boycott, branding it illegitimate.
Another defendant in the case was sentenced to five and a half years in prison and a fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds was imposed for disrupting the constitutional referendum.

Since Islamist ex-president Morsi's ouster last year, the Egyptian government has been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters.
Morsi is currently in prison over charges of killing peaceful protesters, espionage, escaping from prison during the January 25 Revolution in 2011, insulting the judiciary and handing over documents of national security to Qatari intelligence through the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news channel.
He has not been sentenced in any case so far.