1st LD: Egypt court confirms death sentence for 6 Morsi co-defendants over "Qatar espionage"

An Egyptian court upheld Saturday a death sentence against six people linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood on charges of spying and leaking "classified documents" to Qatar, in a case involving deposed Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, state-run Nile TV reported.

On May 17, the judge referred the case to the mufti -- the country's official interpreter of Islamic law who plays an advisory role -- as required by the Egyptian law to consider death sentences for the six Morsi's co-defendants.

"The defendants leaked the confidential reports and documents about the centers, arms and data of the armed forces and sent it to a foreign country for money," the presiding judge read the mufti's final report.

"Spying crime requires murder, according to Islam jurists," added the report.

The six convicted defendants include two documentary and media producers with Qatari Al Jazeera channel.

Three of the defendants were sentenced in absentia and will have the sentences squashed for an appeal if they ever hand themselves over and appear in court.

The defendants were accused of leaking confidential intelligence files to Qatar for millions of dollars. The prosecution also accused the defendants of working for the "terrorist branded Muslim Brotherhood" organization. Endit