Egypt hands life terms to 58 anti-coup activists

An Egyptian military court today handed over 70 people sentences ranging between seven to 25 years for committing violence after the 2013 military coup, according to the lawyer for the defendants.

“The military court in Asyut Governorship [south] sentenced 58 civilians to life in prison after being convicted of storming and burning the Magaga Police Station in Minya Governorship,” Khaled Al-Koumi, a member of the defendants’ defence team, confirmed.

“The same court sentenced five defendants to 15 years in prison, five to 10 years, and two others to seven years,” he further added.

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Al-Koumi described how the verdicts today are preliminary and can be appealed before the same court within 60 days.

Violence erupted in the country following opposition to a military coup led by current President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in 2013 which ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi.

Since 2013, Al-Sisi has ordered authorities to launch numerous crackdowns on dissent in the country which has resulted in thousands of anti-coup activists being thrown in jail following mass trials on trumped up charges. Hundreds more have been disappeared or killed.