Egyptian court sentences Muslim Brotherhood leader to life in prison

The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Mohamed Badie, was sentenced on Saturday to life in prison for inciting violence in street protests last year, an Egyptian television channel reported.

Egypt's ONTV reported that the presiding judge, Hassan Farid, said the 70-year-old incited violence "to achieve terrorist goals” after the army removed the Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi from the presidency in July 2013.

Another 36 Brotherhood members were given the same sentence at the Cairo trial, while 10 others were sentenced to death. Many of the co-defendants were tried in absentia.

Badie, who has already received death sentences in two separate cases, was one of thousands of Brotherhood figures and supporters arrested after Morsi’s removal.

The Brotherhood has since been listed as a "terrorist movement," with much of its leadership imprisoned, including the former president.

Its supporters have held protests, often resulting in clashes, against the government that replaced Morsi.

In March, a court triggered an international outcry when it sentenced 529 alleged Morsi supporters to death for similar charges. The judge subsequently upheld 37 of those sentences and commuted the rest to life in prison.

Morsi has been in jail since he was overthrown and is on trial for inciting the killing of opposition protesters in December 2012 outside the presidential palace.

Al Jazeera and wire services