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Egypt court sentences 22 pro-Morsi defendants to death

Xinhua, April 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

An Egyptian criminal court sentenced to death 22 defendants over storming a police station in Giza governorate and killing an officer in 2013, state-run MENA news agency reported.

The Giza Criminal Court also sentenced a juvenile involved in the case to 10-year sentence, according to MENA.

On March 18, the court referred the papers of the defendants, except the juvenile, to the Grand Mufti, the country's interpreter of religious law, to give his opinion.

The defendants include 15 held in custody, and the remaining eight convicts are currently fugitives.

The defendants were accused of destruction of public property, vandalism and the killing of a police officer at Kerdasa police station on July 3, 2013.

They were also charged with attempted murder of other policemen, illegal possession of weapons, and the use of violence against police officers.

Monday's verdict can still be appealed at the Cassation Court.

Kerdasa, once a stronghold of Islamist, had also witnessed another murder incident, referred to as "Kerdasa massacre," when dozens of pro-Morsi militants stormed the main police station in Kerdasa district of Giza on Aug. 14, 2013, killing 11 policemen and two pedestrians.

The assault took place shortly after police forces cracked down on two main sit-in camps of pro-Morsi protesters in Cairo and Giza governorates.

In September 2013, police forces attacked Kerdasa and arrested 188 people who faced accusations of murder, terrorism and damaging public property.

A number of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood members, including high ranking officials, were sentenced to death. However, the sentences have not been carried out and can be appealed. Endit