Egypt court upholds life sentence of Brotherhood leader

An Egyptian court Wednesday upheld a life sentence passed in 2016 against Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie over deadly clashes following Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's ouster, judicial officials said.

The court of cassation, whose rulings can not be appealed, upheld the verdict of life terms against Badie, the Brotherhood's spiritual guide, and eight others over clashes in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya that killed three people.

The court also confirmed three-year jail sentences against 19 defendants and 10-year terms against 29 others.

The authorities have arrested thousands of Brotherhood leaders and members, including Morsi, since his ouster by the army in 2013.

Hundreds have been sentenced to death, although many have appealed and won retrials.

The country was rocked by violence for weeks after Morsi's supporters set up protest camps and demonstrated against his overthrow.

On August 14, 2013, security forces violently dispersed two protest camps in Cairo demanding Morsi be reinstated, leaving more than 700 people dead.

Morsi had won the country's first free election in 2012, a year after a popular uprising ousted veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak.

But his rule was divisive and millions held protests in Cairo demanding his resignation, prompting the army to overthrow and detain him.

Badie is facing charges in more than 35 trials, according to his lawyers. He was handed death sentences in three other cases but those rulings have been scrapped.