Egypt confirms 183 death sentences, including Islamist chief

MINYA, June 21 (AFP):  An Egyptian court Saturday confirmed death sentences for more than 183 Islamists, including Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohamed Badie, a prosecutor said, after a mass trial that sparked an international outcry.

The court in the central city of Minya had initially sentenced 683 people to death, but on Saturday it commuted death sentences of four defendants to life in prison, including two women, and acquitted 496 others, prosecutor Abdel Rahim Abdel Malik told AFP.

Since the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July last year, hundreds of his supporters and Badie himself have been sentenced to death in trials roundly criticised by human rights watchdogs.

The 183 Islamists sentenced on Saturday were accused of involvement in the murder and attempted murder of policemen in Minya province on August 14, the day police killed hundreds of Morsi supporters during clashes in Cairo.

Lawyers said most of those sentenced to death were still on the run.

The court's decision on Saturday came after it referred its initial ruling in April to Egypt's top Islamic scholar, as required under the country's legal system.

In March, the same court presided by judge Said Youssef Sabry reduced 492 of 529 death sentences to life in prison.

Outside the court on Saturday, families of defendants appeared confused as they tried to understand the details of the verdict, as masked policemen stood guard.