75 sentenced to death over Egypt sitin

CAIRO: An Egyptian court sentenced 75 people to death on Saturday, including prominent Islamist leaders Essam alErian and Mohamed Beltagi, over a 2013 sitin which ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters.

The sentencing, which included jail terms for more than 600 others, concluded a mass trial of people accused of murder and inciting violence during the proMuslim Brotherhood protest at Rabaa Adawiya square in Cairo.

The decision can be appealed

within 60 days.

Rabaa square was the single most deadly incident in unrest which followed the 2011 popular uprising that toppled Egypt’s longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

It occurred weeks after the military ousted Egypt’s first freely elected head of state, Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

The Government said many protesters were armed and that eight members of the security forces were killed.

Rights groups say more than 800 protesters died. Amnesty International condemned Saturday’s decision, calling the trial ‘‘disgraceful’’.

Those sentenced to jail included a US citizen, Moustafa Kassem, rights group Pretrial Rights International said.

In Saturday’s hearing at the vast Tora prison complex south of Cairo, a criminal court sentenced to death by hanging several prominent Islamists, including senior Brotherhood leaders alErian and Beltagi and preacher Safwat Higazi.

Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Mohamed Badie and dozens more were given life sentences, judicial sources said.

Rights groups have criticised the trial for including many peaceful protesters and journalists.