Islamic group calls for protests against death sentences

An alliance of Islamic groups supporting ousted president Mohamed Morsi has called on Egyptians to protest against mass death verdicts issued for 683 Muslim Brotherhood members.

The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy said in a statement that the protests would begin on Wednesday from in front of the homes of some of those sentenced to death.

A court in Mania on Monday sentenced 683 Morsi supporters to death amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent.

The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood Party Mohamed Badie was among the defendants who received the capital punishment sentence.

The sentences should be approved by the grand mufti of the Egypt before they can be carried out.

The same court also reversed the death penalties of 492 out of the 529 people, it had passed in March, to life in prison sentences.

Brotherhood members and supporters have faced crackdown by the military-backed government over the past months.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been declared a “terrorist” organization by the Egyptian authorities. Commentators say the labeling justifies the punishment of any public show of support for the movement