One-year prison sentences for 5 MB members

Five members of the Muslim Brotherhood received a one-year prison sentence, a LE50,000 fine and LE1000 bail per defendant, for protesting without a permit in Minya, privately-owned daily newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported Sunday.

The defendants appealed the verdict and paid the bail. An appeal is scheduled to take place on March 9, Al-Masry Al-Youm added.

Security forces arrested the defendants on the first Friday after the controversial Protest Law was implemented. Prosecution continued to detain the Brotherhood members and determined that the defendants should be brought to trial.

In December, deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi was referred to criminal court for charges of escaping from Wadi al-Natrun Prison in 2012 and the illegal possession of arms. He is expected to appear in court, along with 130 other defendants on January 28. 

Days later, the Muslim Brotherhood was officially classified as a "terrorist organization," which entails the freezing of their assets and shutting down several Brotherhood affiliated entities and offices.