Ousted Egyptian president Morsi dies in court: reports

Getty Images

Ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi died during a court appearance on Monday, according to multiple news reports.

Morsi, 67, fainted after a court session and later died, according to Reuters, which cited Egyptian state television.

{mosads}He was serving two separate prison sentences: a 20-year one related to the killing of protesters during demonstrations in 2012 and a life sentence for espionage related to Qatar, according to Reuters.
 
Morsi was reportedly in court Monday for more espionage charges related to alleged contacts with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

Morsi served as Egypt’s fifth president for slightly more than a year being being removed from power by the military in 2013.

Morsi, representing the Muslim Brotherhood, rose to power after longtime President Hosni Mubarak was forced out of office by the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.

When in office, Morsi issued sweeping decrees to concentrate power in the executive that were widely condemned by international press as an Islamist coup.

Protests emerged against him in 2013, eventually culminating in a military coup that removed the Muslim Brotherhood, and Morsi, from power.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s political party remains outlawed in Egypt, and several of the group’s leaders are imprisoned.

Updated at 12:51 p.m.

Tags court dies Egypt Mohamed Morsi Reuters

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.