Brotherhood slams Egypt judiciary before Morsi verdict

Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has denounced the judiciary, calling it a tool for repression, and called for protests Tuesday when a court delivers the first verdict against ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

The country's first freely elected president, a leader of the Islamist Brotherhood, was ousted by the army in 2013 and put on trial amid a relentless crackdown on the movement.

Then army chief -- and now president -- Abdel Fattah al-Sisi toppled Morsi after millions of people protested against the Islamist's divisive year-long rule.

Egypt's new authorities then launched a sweeping and sustained crackdown against the Brotherhood that has left hundreds of people dead and thousands jailed.

On Tuesday, a Cairo court is set to deliver the first verdict against Morsi on charges of inciting the killing of protesters in December 2012, when he was still in office.

The Brotherhood lashed out at the judiciary ahead of the verdict, with experts saying that a death sentence against Morsi cannot be ruled out.

"The coup commander is exploiting the judiciary as a weapon in the battle against popular will and the democratic and revolutionary legitimacy represented by President Mohamed Morsi," a Brotherhood statement said.

It warned that such policies "poured oil on the fire of public anger" and "may indeed push the country into a dark tunnel".

The Brotherhood also called for "non-stop revolutionary marches and demonstrations" from Tuesday to support Morsi and demand his reinstatement.

After he was deposed, his supporters staged nationwide protests that often turned violent.

But the Brotherhood, now blacklisted as a "terrorist organisation", has failed to mobilise large numbers for rallies because of the relentless crackdown.

Morsi also faces the possible death penalty in two other trials, including one in which he is accused of spying for foreign powers, and escaping from prison during the 2011 revolt against his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.

Separate verdicts in those two cases are due on May 16.