Egypt’s Ex-President Morsi Sentenced to Death

Egypt’s former President Mohamed Morsi has been sentenced to death on charges of masterminding a prison escape.

The court ruled Morsi guilty of organizing a prison escape during the 2011 uprising which toppled Hosni Mubarak. During the uprising, over 20,000 inmades escaped from Egypt’s prisons. Morsi was tried alongside other defendants who also faced charges of espionage.

“We are free revolutionaries, we will continue the march,” the defendants chanted in the courtroom, according to AFP.

Morsi was jailed during the 2011 uprising, but escaped two days later. He was tried alongside Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat el-Shater, who is accused of giving state security reports to Qatar with the aim of destabilizing the country.The case will be referred to Egypt’s Grand Mufti, the country’ highest religious law official, for a non-binding opinion on the verdict on June 2. Morsi can still appeal the verdict even if the Grand Mufti approves of the sentence.