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Rights groups blast 75 death sentences by Egyptian court

Nearly a dozen rights groups have strongly condemned the passing of death sentences by an Egyptian court against 75 people, including top leaders of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

A statement by the 11 organisations Tuesday rejected the trial's proceedings, saying they exemplified the "degraded standards of fairness, impartiality and independence that define Egypt's dysfunctional judiciary." They also demanded an immediate end to capital punishment.

The statement was the latest in a flurry of condemnations by rights groups, as well as the UN human rights commission, of Saturday's verdicts. The case involves 739 defendants who faced charges ranging from murder to damaging property.

The case is rooted in a 2013 protest by supporters of Mohammed Morsi, a stalwart of the Brotherhood whose one-year rule ended when the military ousted him.

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