Morsi guilty of insulting the judiciary

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has been sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of £83 000 after being found guilty of insulting the judiciary. The Guardian reports that 19 others were also jailed for three years, but received lower fines. The defendants were accused of insulting the judiciary in media statements and on social media. The prosecution argued the statements were inciteful and expressed contempt. Among those who received prison sentences were 11 former MPs, the prominent Islamist lawyer Montaser Al-Zayat, and four journalists, Abdel Halim Qandel, Nour Al-Deen Abdel Hafez, Abdel Rahman Al-Qaradawi and Ahmed Al-Sharqawi. All the verdicts can be appealed.