Egypt sentences 8 to death for violence

An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced eight people to death in connection with violence that followed the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in a 2013 coup, according to a local judicial source.

The eight were among a group of 68 defendants charged with committing acts of violence and riots that left five people dead south of Cairo in 2013, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

Saturday's sentences were referred to Egypt's grand mufti for a non-binding opinion, as required by Egyptian law.

The court will confirm the verdict on Oct. 10.

Egypt was roiled by violence after the military deposed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in mid-2013.

Since Morsi's overthrow, Egyptian authorities have launched a relentless crackdown on dissent, killing hundreds and sending thousands behind bars.