EGYPT: TOP COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF 7 SENTENCED TO DEATH, JAIL OVER TERROR CHARGES

November 7, 2017:

Egypt's top court cancelled the execution verdict of one defendant and the 10-year jail sentences of six others and ordered their retrial over forming a terrorist cell to carry out anti-government activities, official MENA news agency reported.
The Court of Cassation accepted the appeals issued by the seven defendants against their conviction in September 2016 of forming a terrorist cell to carry out aggressive operations against the police, the military and the state institutions in Gharbiya province northern the capital Cairo.
The case dates back to November 2014 and it includes 13 defendants, eight in custody and five fugitives, who were referred to criminal court over the said charges.
In early September 2016, a criminal court sentenced four defendants including three fugitives to death, six detained defendants to 10 years in jail, two fugitives to 15 years in jail and acquitted a detained one.
The seven defendants in custody had appealed their convictions and the Court of Cassation on November 7 canceled their verdicts and ordered their retrial.