Ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi dies after Collapsing in Court

Egypt’s first democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi has died.

Al Jazeera reports that Morsi died while in court in the capital, Cairo.

“Morsi died today while attending a session in his trial on espionage charges. During the session, he was granted permission to address the judge,” a presenter with Egypt’s state TV said.

“After the session was adjourned, the former president blacked out and then died. His body was taken to a hospital.”

Officials say Morsi collapsed in a defendants’ cage in the courtroom and was pronounced dead in hospital at 4:50pm local time (02:50 GMT) on Monday.

There were no apparent injuries to his body, according a medical report.

Morsi’s son Abdullah Mohamed Morsi told Reuters News Agency that his family are not aware of the location of their father’s body, adding that authorities have refused to have him buried at their family’s cemetery.

Morsi came into power in 2012, one year after the uprising that led to the end of President Hosni Mubarak‘s 30-year rule.

Following mass protests and a military coup led by Egypt’s current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Morsi was deposed and arrested.

He has been in jail since 2013 and had been serving a 20-year prison sentence following conviction arising from the killing of protesters in 2012; and a life sentence for espionage.

The former president had several health issues, including diabetes and liver and kidney diseases. Morsi is reported to have suffered medical neglect during his imprisonment.

In November 2016, the Court of Cassation put aside the life sentence against Morsi and ordered a retrial.

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