In yet another blow to the Islamists in Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood's chief Mohamed Badie and 21 other members of the banned movement have been sentenced to death in separate cases for inciting violence and murder.
Badie and 13 other Brotherhood members were convicted of setting up an "operation room" to direct their supporters as part of plans to defy the state and spread violence and chaos, following the dispersal of Rabaa and Nahda sit-ins in August 2013 by police.
They were also convicted for plotting attacks on police stations, private property and churches.
The 14 convicted also included prominent Brotherhood leaders Mahmoud Ghozlan, Saad El-Hossainy, Salah Soltan and Fathy Shehab.
The Cairo criminal court set April 11 to announce its final verdict concerning other defendants in the case, which includes Egyptian-American Mohamed Soltan, Jehad Haddad, Saad Khairat El-Shater and Gamal El-Yemani.
The court referred the death sentences to Egypt's Grand Mufti for revision. The referral of the sentences to the Mufti is the first step in the legal process required to carry out a death sentence.
According to Egyptian law, the Grand Mufti should review all death sentences.
However, the Mufti's decision is not binding. Following his decision, the court will issue a final verdict. Once a final verdict is issued, defendants can appeal.
Badie was arrested from a Nasr City apartment on August 20, 2013 and was then charged in a number of different cases.
He is currently standing several trials for violent acts committed by supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Badie was also sentenced to death before in other cases but the sentences were later reduced to life imprisonment.
Morsi is in prison over charges of killing peaceful protesters, espionage and escaping from prison during the January 25 Revolution in 2011 that toppled Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Meanwhile, a Mansoura criminal court sentenced eight members of the Muslim Brotherhood to death in two different cases also yesterday.
The defendants were accused of attempted murder, possessing weapons and destroying public property, as well as receiving military training in Gaza.
The court has referred the death sentences to Egypt's Grand Mufti for revision. It will announce the final verdict in the first case on May 18, and the final verdict in the second case on June 22.
The Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist organisation in November 2013 by the Egyptian government.
Hundreds of its members have been sentenced to death over the past year and a half.
