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| Egypt Muslim Brotherhood leader and 682 others on trial | Egypt Muslim Brotherhood leader and 682 others on trial |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, Mohammed Badie, and 682 other supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi are on trial in central Egypt. | |
| They face charges relating to an attack on a police station in Minya during a crackdown on the Brotherhood in August. | They face charges relating to an attack on a police station in Minya during a crackdown on the Brotherhood in August. |
| Most of the defendants are being tried in absentia and officials said Mr Badie was not in court for security reasons. | Most of the defendants are being tried in absentia and officials said Mr Badie was not in court for security reasons. |
| The mass trial in Minya comes a day after the same court sentenced 528 other Morsi supporters to death. | The mass trial in Minya comes a day after the same court sentenced 528 other Morsi supporters to death. |
| There has been widespread condemnation of the sentences, which were delivered on only the second session of the trial. | There has been widespread condemnation of the sentences, which were delivered on only the second session of the trial. |
| The UN said the trial had contravened international law. | The UN said the trial had contravened international law. |
| There were also protests in Minya by students at its university and by a crowd in the Abu Hilal district which called for the end of military rule. | There were also protests in Minya by students at its university and by a crowd in the Abu Hilal district which called for the end of military rule. |
| 'Unprecedented' | 'Unprecedented' |
| Only 62 people were present at the Minya Criminal Court on Tuesday. | |
| The defendants - including Mr Badie, the Brotherhood's general guide, and Saad al-Katani, chairman of its Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) - are facing various charges in connection with an attack on a police station in the city of Minya in mid-August, in which no-one was reported killed. | |
| The attack took place in the immediate aftermath of an operation by security forces to break up two sit-ins in the capital Cairo that left almost 1,000 people dead. The sit-ins were set up by supporters of Mr Morsi after he was overthrown by the military the previous month. | The attack took place in the immediate aftermath of an operation by security forces to break up two sit-ins in the capital Cairo that left almost 1,000 people dead. The sit-ins were set up by supporters of Mr Morsi after he was overthrown by the military the previous month. |
| Several defence lawyers reportedly boycotted Tuesday's trial, while others demanded that the judge, Saed Youssef, recuse himself because he presided over the trial of the 528 people sentenced to death on Monday in connection with an attack on a different police station in Minya. | Several defence lawyers reportedly boycotted Tuesday's trial, while others demanded that the judge, Saed Youssef, recuse himself because he presided over the trial of the 528 people sentenced to death on Monday in connection with an attack on a different police station in Minya. |
| The preceding trial, in which the vast majority of defendants were also tried in absentia, is reported to have lasted under an hour on Saturday. | The preceding trial, in which the vast majority of defendants were also tried in absentia, is reported to have lasted under an hour on Saturday. |
| The prosecution did not put forward evidence implicating any individual defendant, even though it had compiled significant evidence, and the court prevented defence lawyers from presenting their case or calling witnesses, according to Human Right Watch. | The prosecution did not put forward evidence implicating any individual defendant, even though it had compiled significant evidence, and the court prevented defence lawyers from presenting their case or calling witnesses, according to Human Right Watch. |
| A second session was held on Monday solely to announce the verdict. | A second session was held on Monday solely to announce the verdict. |
| A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, condemned what he called the "cursory mass trial". | A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, condemned what he called the "cursory mass trial". |
| "The astounding number of people sentenced to death in this case is unprecedented in recent history," Rupert Colville told a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday. "The mass imposition of the death penalty after a trial that was rife with procedural irregularities is in breach of international human rights law." | "The astounding number of people sentenced to death in this case is unprecedented in recent history," Rupert Colville told a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday. "The mass imposition of the death penalty after a trial that was rife with procedural irregularities is in breach of international human rights law." |
| US state department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington was "deeply concerned" and "shocked" by a verdict that "sort of defies logic", while the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged the Egyptian authorities to grant defendants "the right to a fair and timely trial". | US state department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington was "deeply concerned" and "shocked" by a verdict that "sort of defies logic", while the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged the Egyptian authorities to grant defendants "the right to a fair and timely trial". |
| But Egypt's interim government defended the court, insisting that the sentences had been handed down only "after careful study". | But Egypt's interim government defended the court, insisting that the sentences had been handed down only "after careful study". |
| The state-run al-Ahram newspaper reported that the Minya Criminal Court would issue its final verdict on 28 April after Egypt's grand mufti, who under the law must ratify each death sentence before it can be carried out, had passed judgement. | The state-run al-Ahram newspaper reported that the Minya Criminal Court would issue its final verdict on 28 April after Egypt's grand mufti, who under the law must ratify each death sentence before it can be carried out, had passed judgement. |
| The defendants may then appeal. Legal experts said a higher court would most probably order a retrial or reduce their sentences. | The defendants may then appeal. Legal experts said a higher court would most probably order a retrial or reduce their sentences. |
| The 1,200 defendants in the two cases in Minya are among more than 16,000 Egyptians arrested over the past eight months, according to figures recently provided by senior interior ministry officials. They include about 3,000 top or mid-level Brotherhood members. | The 1,200 defendants in the two cases in Minya are among more than 16,000 Egyptians arrested over the past eight months, according to figures recently provided by senior interior ministry officials. They include about 3,000 top or mid-level Brotherhood members. |