Egypt court quashes one of Morsi life sentences

Cairo — An Egyptian appeals court on Tuesday quashed one of two life sentences handed down against ousted president Mohamed Morsi since his 2013 overthrow, his lawyer and a judicial source said. The sentences against several officials of his now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, who stood trial alongside him on charges of spying for Iran and Palestinian militant group Hamas, were also overturned by the Court of Cassation, lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud told AFP. On November 27, the same court is to start reviewing a second life sentence handed down against Morsi in a separate trial on charges of stealing documents relating to national security. Last week, Egypt's Court of Cassation overturned a death sentence against Morsi and ordered a retrial. Morsi was tried in an Egyptian court on several charges, including one of escaping prison during the 2011 uprising against then-president Hosni Mubarak. He was also accused of sharing state secrets with foreign powers. Morsi was given several sentences, including life, a 20-year prison term and the death penalty. He appealed against those sentences, but has already had the 20-year term confirmed by an Appellate Court. — Agencies