Egypt's ousted president Morsi gets 20 years in jail

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi take part in a protest against the military and interior ministry in the southern suburb of Maadi, on the outskirts of Cairo, Nov 1, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

The Brotherhood, which considers Morsi's ouster as "a military coup" against legitimacy, always denied connection with terrorist groups and urged anti-government protests.

In anticipation of Tuesday's court ruling, the Brotherhood called in a statement on Monday evening for "a comprehensive revolutionary movement" in support of the ousted president "who was elected through the only free and fair presidential elections Egypt witnessed throughout history."

It warned of "serious consequences" if the judiciary is used to ruin the gains attained by the January 2011 uprising that toppled long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak, saying "this would lead the country to a dark tunnel."

Egypt's judiciary is currently holding mass trials for thousands of defendants over charges varying from belonging to the Brotherhood to murdering anti-Brotherhood protesters.

On Monday, an Egyptian court ordered the execution of 22 of Morsi's loyalists over an armed attack on a police station in Giza following Morsi's overthrow.

Earlier in February, the same Giza Criminal Court ordered execution of 183 of Morsi's supporters over killing 14 policemen and mutilating their bodies at the same police station.

Egypt carried out the first execution of one of Morsi's supporters in early March, as the man was convicted of killing young boys by throwing them off a building roof during a pro-Morsi protest in the seaside province of Alexandria.