An Egyptian court on Saturday issued death sentences for 75 people, including prominent Muslim Brotherhood leaders, and jailed more than 600 others over a 2013 sit-in which ended with the killing of hundreds of protesters by security forces.
The sentencing concluded the mass trial of some 700 people accused of offenses including murder and inciting violence during the pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest at Rabaa Adawiya square in Cairo.
The government says many protesters were armed and that eight members of the security forces were killed.
In Saturday's hearing at the vast Tora prison complex south of Cairo, a criminal court sentenced to death by hanging several Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including Essam al-Erian and Mohamed Beltagi and preacher Safwat Higazi.
Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Mohamed Badie and dozens more were given life sentences, judicial sources said. Others received jail sentences ranging from five to 15 years.
Furthermore, the court handed a five-year jail sentence to award-winning photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid.
Abu Zeid, widely known as Shawkan, is however expected to walk free soon, his lawyer said.
Shawkan was arrested in August 2013 as he covered deadly clashes in Cairo between security forces and supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
He was accused of "murder and membership of a terrorist organization" -- charges that can carry the death penalty -- but has already spent five years in jail.
Shawkan should, therefore, be able to leave prison "within a few days", his lawyer Karim Abdelrady said as he welcomed the verdict.
