Egypt's Morsi sentenced to three years in prison over 'insulting judiciary' in latest conviction

An Egyptian court sentenced ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to an additional three years in prison along with 19 other defendants on Saturday for "insulting the judiciary", in a televised court session.

The other defendants include former members of parliament, activists and three journalists.

Morsi had already been sentenced to a total of 45 years in prison in two other trials after the military ousted him in 2013.

The defendants had all been charged with making statements on TV, radio, social media or in publications deemed insulting to the judiciary.

Five other defendants, including jailed activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and political commentator Amr Hamzawy, were fined 30,000 pounds (about $1,680) each.

Abdel Fattah is serving a five-year sentence for participating in an illegal protest in 2013 and Hamzawy lives in exile.

Morsi was also ordered to pay two million pounds to the head of the judges' syndicate and another judge, while 22 other defendants were ordered to pay one million pounds to the head of the syndicate.

Morsi's lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsud told AFP that he would appeal the verdict.

Thousands of Islamists have been arrested and put on trial since the military ousted the divisive Morsi following mass protests demanding his resignation.

The crackdown extended to other opponents of then army chief now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was elected a year after Morsi's overthrow.

Since his ousting, Morsi has since faced trial on a host of charges, including espionage and conspiring with foreign groups.

The former president, who hailed from the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, is serving a life sentence - 25 years - over accusations of spying for Qatar.

Earlier, he was given a 20-year sentence for the killing of protesters in December 2012.

Also on Saturday, another court sentenced prominent activist and rights lawyer Mahinour al-Masry to two years in prison over participating in an illegal protest against the government's transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, lawyer Taher Abu al-Nasr said.

The 2016 deal between the two countries sparked rare protests in Egypt.

Masry and another activist, Moatassem Medhat, received two-year sentences while three others were given three-year sentences in absentia, Abu al-Nasr added.