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Egypt ex-President Morsi charged over Qatar files leak | Egypt ex-President Morsi charged over Qatar files leak |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being charged with handing over national security documents to Qatar, the state prosecutor says. | Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being charged with handing over national security documents to Qatar, the state prosecutor says. |
Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been strained since the military ousted Mr Morsi in July 2013 after protests against his one-year rule. | Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been strained since the military ousted Mr Morsi in July 2013 after protests against his one-year rule. |
Qatar supports the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group to which he belongs. | Qatar supports the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group to which he belongs. |
He faces several trials for charges including espionage. He has called the court illegitimate. | He faces several trials for charges including espionage. He has called the court illegitimate. |
Several other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, as well as hundreds of ordinary members, have already been sentenced to death. | Several other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, as well as hundreds of ordinary members, have already been sentenced to death. |
A crackdown by the authorities over the past year has seen more than 1,400 people killed and 16,000 others detained, rights activists say. | A crackdown by the authorities over the past year has seen more than 1,400 people killed and 16,000 others detained, rights activists say. |
Mr Morsi will be tried for having "handed over to Qatari intelligence documents linked to national security... in exchange for $1m (£610,000)", the prosecutor said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency. | Mr Morsi will be tried for having "handed over to Qatari intelligence documents linked to national security... in exchange for $1m (£610,000)", the prosecutor said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency. |
Charges against Morsi | Charges against Morsi |
Read more: What's become of Egypt's Morsi? | Read more: What's become of Egypt's Morsi? |
Mr Morsi was accused of passing on the files via Doha-based TV network Al Jazeera. | Mr Morsi was accused of passing on the files via Doha-based TV network Al Jazeera. |
When the allegations emerged in August, Al Jazeera told Reuters: "Any information Al Jazeera receives is handled with the highest standard of journalistic ethics. We do not therefore comment on sources, or pass information to governments." | When the allegations emerged in August, Al Jazeera told Reuters: "Any information Al Jazeera receives is handled with the highest standard of journalistic ethics. We do not therefore comment on sources, or pass information to governments." |
Last June, a court in Egypt sentenced three Al Jazeera English journalists to between seven and 10 years in prison after convicting them charges including of spreading false news. | Last June, a court in Egypt sentenced three Al Jazeera English journalists to between seven and 10 years in prison after convicting them charges including of spreading false news. |
The three journalists have strenuously denied the charges and plan to appeal. | The three journalists have strenuously denied the charges and plan to appeal. |
The court decision was criticised by journalists and human rights groups, who have campaigned for their release. | The court decision was criticised by journalists and human rights groups, who have campaigned for their release. |
'Please be patient' | |
Mr Morsi's successor, former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, won elections in May after pledging to boost Egypt's economy and standard of living. | |
However, Egypt has continued to be hit by power cuts, including a one-hour blackout across most of Cairo on Thursday that angered many residents. | |
On Saturday, Mr Sisi urged Egyptians to "please be patient". | |
"We will be able to overcome all those problems, but this is not going to happen overnight or in a month or two," he said. | |
The energy supply problems are reportedly linked to ageing infrastructure, dwindling local gas production and a struggle to pay off debts to foreign oil and gas companies. |