1st LD: Egypt's MB chief Badie sentenced to death over violence charges

An Egyptian court on Saturday delivered another death sentence to the chief leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group Mohammed Badie and 13 other MB members over violence charges, state-run TV reported.

The MB spiritual leader and the other 13 defendants are charged with running an operational room to mobilize group members to target security forces and spread disorder after the dispersal of two major sit-ins in the capital of Cairo in August, 2013.

Meanwhile, 37 other MB members have received life imprisonment terms in the same case, the report said, adding that Saturday's verdict still can be appealed.

On March 16, Cairo Criminal Court referred the death sentences of Badie and other 13 defendants to the Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic official, whose opinion is usually considered as a formality.

Since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by the military in July 2013, the army-backed government has launched a massive security crackdown on his supporters, leaving more than 1,000 killed and thousands others arrested.

The government said the protests were violent as tens of policemen were shot dead during the dispersal process.

Morsi is now standing trial over charges, including jailbreak, ordering the killing of protesters, spying and insulting the judiciary.

Many of the MB figures, including Badie, were sentenced to death in violence-related cases. However, the sentences have not been carried out and can be appealed. Endit