Turkey criticizes Egypt’s sentencing of ousted leader Morsi

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkey has criticized the sentencing in Egypt of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in prison over the killing of protesters in 2012.

A Foreign Ministry statement said Wednesday that “arbitrary” trials in Egypt deepened doubts over the objectiveness of Morsi’s trial and “reinforced concerns” over the future of democracy in the country.

It called on Cairo to meet the Egyptian people’s “demands for democracy and the rule of law.”

Turkey’s government strongly supports Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group and relations between Egypt and Turkey soured after Morsi’s ouster led by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Tuesday’s verdict was the first to be issued against Morsi, the country’s first freely elected leader. He faces several other trials along with thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members.