Giza criminal court on Sunday sentenced a supporter of former president Mohamed Morsi to death on terror-related charges.

Anas Soliman Shahin was sentenced in absentia for "joining and funding a terrorist organisation", the Muslim Brotherhood, working with the Hamas movement in Gaza, and using secret tunnels between North Sinai and the Gaza Strip. 

The court applied its maximum penalty in absentia until the defendants show up and a retrial starts. According to Egypt's penal code, a defendant is given the stiffest punishment if he/she fails to show up in court during the trial. 

Last week, Cairo Criminal Court sought a death penalty for  ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and 105 others in the 'Wadi-Natroun jailbreak' case after referring them to the Grand Mufti for a non-binding review. The court's decision is considered a preliminary step before sentencing the defendants to death. The decision drew wide international criticism.