CAIRO, Apr 18 (NNN-MENA) – An Egyptian court yesterday sentenced acting Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mahmoud Ezzat, to life in prison, over national security charges, official Ahram Online news website reported.
Yesterday’s verdict is considered a first-degree ruling that can be appealed, according to the report.
A life sentence in Egypt carries 25 years in jail.
Egypt’s Public Prosecution charged Ezzat and other defendants with storming Egyptian prisons and collaborating with the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood’s international leadership, and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, to create chaos and topple the Egyptian government.
He was also indicted for receiving military training from Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, to launch military attacks in Egypt.
Ezzat, arrested in Aug, 2020, was named the Muslim Brotherhood’s acting supreme guide, in Aug, 2013, replacing Mohamed Badie, who currently serves a life sentence over violence charges.
In his trial, that began as far back as 2011, Ezzat was first handed a death sentence in absentia, in June, 2015.
Under Egyptian law, however, in-absentia convictions must be retried once the defendant is apprehended.
Over the past several years, Ezzat was given multiple prison sentences, over charges of murder, terrorism, collaboration with foreign organisations and disclosing information pertaining to Egypt’s national security.
Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in 2013.– NNN-MENA
