The Cairo Appeal Court will hold its first session reviewing the Hamas espionage case on 25 October, in which former president Mohamed Morsi and prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced to death.
The 36 defendants were accused of leaking documents to foreign agents, including Hamas and Hezbollah. The court sentenced Morsi, Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, and 16 others to life in prison, while group leaders Mohamed Al-Beltagy and Saad Al-Shater were sentenced to death.
The prosecution accused the defendants of collaborating with members of Hamas to facilitate its political mission to gain power.
The defence team argued that the evidence upon which the court issued the decision was not sufficient for the sentences. The defence mentioned that the evidence and the prosecution’s accusations were only based on the reports of the National Security apparatus and police investigation.
However, the reports lacked any substantial evidence, according to the defence.
The court verdict was used by pro-regime and military supporters to claim that the 25 January Revolution was a “conspiracy” by Islamists to topple former president Hosni Mubarak.
