Court dismisses death, life terms against MB leaders, orders retrial in Mokattam case

The cassation court turned down death and life imprisonment sentences given to a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including the group's supreme guide Mohamed Badea, and ordered a retrial over charges of inciting violence and premeditated murder during the riots outside the group's HQ in the southeastern Cairo neighborhood of Mokattam, in the aftermath of the 30 June Revolution.

The court ruling covers 13, out of 18 defendants, who have appealed the former sentences.

The cassation prosecution had submitted a report to the court with its legal advice in the case, recommending the dismissal of the rulings and starting a retrial before a different criminal court circuit.

In February, the Cairo criminal court sentenced four MB leaders (Abdel Rehim Mohamed, Mostafa Darwish, Mohamed el Beshlawy and Atef el Samry) to death in the case, while slapped life imprisonment terms to the remaining 14, including the group's guide Mohamed Badea, his two deputies Khairat el Shater and Mohamed Bayoumi, former speaker of the dissolved People's Assembly Mohamed el Katatni, former supreme leader Mahdy Akef, former youths minister Osama Yassin, former MP Mohamed el Beltagy, former MP Essam el Erian and former presidential adviser Ayman Hodod.

The Mokattam violence had left at least nine people dead and 91 others injured.

Source: MENA