The Sohag Criminal Court ruled Thursday to sentence 119 Muslim Brotherhood defendants accused of torching a church in Upper Egypt in 2013 to sentences ranging from 10 years and life in prison, Youm7 reported.
Only 68 of the total defendants were in court Thursday, while the rest were sentenced in absentia.
The mob attack on St. George Church in Sohag took place Aug. 14, 2013; the same day of the police dispersal of Cairo’s two Brotherhood sit-ins in Rabaa al-Adaweya and Al-Nahda squares.
Convict set himself on fire in court after final verdictConvict set himself on fire in court after final verdict
The prosecution accused the defendants of the main charge of burning the church and destroying its contents.
The defendants are also facing of a list of charges that include: premeditated murder of 15 people with machine guns, attempted murder of three and stealing public facilities, weapons and ammunition from Sohag Security Directorate.
Convict set himself on fire in court after final verdictConvict set himself on fire in court after final verdict
The Muslim Brotherhood group was designated as a terrorist organization Dec. 25, 2013, after attacks the authorities claimed the group was responsible for. Since then, most of the group’s leaders are either facing criminal and terror-related charges in jail, or at large.
