Minya Criminal court sentenced on Tuesday 18 supporters of ousted Islamist Mohamed Morsi in absentia to 18 years in prison on charges of blocking roads and disrupting the constitutional referendum that took place in January 2014.  

The court has also ordered that the defendants pay a fine of LE135,000.

During the referendum, supporters of the ousted president were protesting in different cities across Egypt to express their opposition to the new constitution that was written after Morsi’s ouster. 

The defendants are also accused of membership in a terrorist organisation.

Hundreds of Morsi supporters have been sentenced to death in recent months, mostly on charges of murder, attempted murder, initiating violence and joining the Muslim Brotherhood, declared as a terrorist organisation in September.

In March, southern Egypt's Minya court sentenced 529 Morsi supporters to death on charges of murdering a police officer. The court later upheld sentences for 37 of them while sentencing the rest to life in prison.

One month later, another Minya court sentenced 683 Morsi supporters, including supreme guide Mohamed Badie, to death for attacking a police station and killing a police officer.

The court then upheld the sentence on 183 members of the brotherhood including Badie, while four were given life improsinment and 496 were acquitted.