An Egyptian military court sentenced 16 defendants to life imprisonment, handing out 15-year sentences for two others in the case commonly known in the media as the "Muslim Brotherhood Qualitative Committee."

The defendants were accused of forming a terrorist group, with the aim of attacking public and military facilities, as well as police and army personnel.

Thirty-seven other defendants were either acquitted or subject to a lack of jurisdiction, meaning their cases will be referred to another court for trial.

According to the 2016 order of referral to the military court, the defendants established an armed group to disrupt the constitution and the law and prevent state institutions and public authorities from carrying out their duties, as well as targeting police and military personnel with terrorist attacks. 

Investigations revealed that the Brotherhood committee's leader, Mohamed Kamal  —  who was killed by Egyptian security forces in Cairo in October 2016 —collaborated with the 52 other Muslim Brotherhood members to provide intelligence and logistical assistance to the defendants.