Sixty-three Muslim Brotherhood supporters were sentenced Thursday to three years in jail on charges including rioting, thuggery and weapons possession, Reuters cited a judicial source as saying.
It was the largest number of Brotherhood supporters sentenced in one case since the army-backed authorities began cracking down on the movement after former President Mohamed Morsi was deposed in July.
The judge set a bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($720) which allows those sentenced to avoid prison while they appeal the verdict. The ruling also includes a fine of 50,000 pounds per person.
In a different part of Cairo, another 24 Brotherhood supporters were also sentenced to three years in prison, with labor, over clashes.
The charges against them included rioting, illegal gathering, attacking the police and belonging to an armed terrorist gang.
The government accuses the Brotherhood of turning to violence since the army deposed Morsi after mass protests against his rule. The group says it is committed to peaceful protest.
Meanwhile, the trial of former president Morsi on charges of inciting murder of protesters was postponed on Wednesday until Feb. 1 after officials said that bad weather had prevented him being flown to court.
Information attainted by Egypt’s security apparatus showed that some were planning to assassinate Morsi, the country’s interior ministry spokesman told Al Arabiya in an interview Wednesday, without giving further details.
The spokesman Hani Abed el-Latif, however, said Morsi was ready to be transferred from prison to court on Wednesday morning but “weather conditions” prevented his transport.
