An Egyptian court today accepted the appeal and ordered retrial of many leaders of banned Muslim Brotherhood including its supreme leader Mohamed Badie, canceling life and death sentences awarded to them earlier for being involved in violent acts in 2013.
Badie, 72, and his deputy Khayrat el-Shater were among 14 Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leaders who were earlier sentenced to life in prison, while four defendants were sentenced to death in the same case.
The defendants are accused of inciting violence, attempted killing, possessing unlicensed weapons, joining an outlawed armed group and being involved in the violent clashes that took place near the MB office in Moqattam area here in 2013 as they clashed with protesters demanding the ouster of Islamist ex-President Mohamed Morsi.
The violent clashes left nine dead and about 91 injured.
Last month, an Egyptian military court sentenced the MB Supreme Guide Badie and others to ten years in prison for involvement in violent acts in the canal city of Suez.
It was the first military sentence given to Badie.
Since Morsi's ouster, the Egyptian government has been cracking down on the MB and its supporters, which left thousands in jail, and hundreds facing trials on a variety of charges.
Morsi himself and Badie and 100 other leaders were sentenced in June to death for escaping from prison in 2011.
Badie and Morsi were also sentenced to life in prison in the espionage case.
There sentences are currently in appeal.
