(AFP PHOTO / STR)
The Court of Appeal decided to accept the appeal submitted by the defense of the 545 sentenced to death and life imprisonment in March 2014 on Saturday.
The defendants are accused of attacking and burning a police station, and killing an officer in Minya. The court overruled the death penalties and life imprisonment sentences and decided to renew the trial.
Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie is among the defendants who received preliminary death sentences, which were ratified by Grand Mufti Shawqy Allam on 21 June. 37 death sentences were upheld, 17 were acquitted 17, while the remaining defendants were given reduced sentences.
The court order received local as well as international condemnations in April.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights, the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, the Arab Network for Human Rights, among 18 other human rights organisations have previously condemned the sentences.
The Free Egyptians Party and the Salafi Al-Nour Party have also denounced it.
