Egyptian Ex President, Mohammed Morsy Sentenced To Life Imprisonment

An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced former President, Mohamed Morsy and 16 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders to life in prison on espionage charges. Three other senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood -- Khairat Al Shater, Mohamed Beltagy and Ahmed Abdel Alaty - were sentenced to death by hanging.

In Egypt, a life sentence equates to 25 years in prison. The court was also expected to decide Tuesday whether to confirm the death sentence Morsy received last month for his role in a 2011 prison escape.

Morsi became Egypt's first freely-elected leader in June 2012 but was overthrown by the army a year later following mass protests.

He is currently serving a 20-year sentence following his conviction on 21 April on charges linked to the killing of protesters outside a Cairo presidential palace in December 2012.

Former army chief Abdel Fattah al Sisi, who is now president, claims the Muslim Brotherhood poses a grave threat to the country's national security. The group maintains it is committed to peaceful activism.