Egyptian court upholds football stadium riot death sentences

Egyptian court had ruled on all 52 defendants in Port Said stadium disaster case A Port Said criminal court has upheld the death sentences given to 21 defendants in January for involvement in deadly football riots last year. Seventy-four people were killed in clashes at Port Said stadium between fans of local club al-Masry and Cairo's al-Ahly in February 2012.
In January, 21 of the 52 defendants were sentenced to death, leading to violent clashes in Egypt's Canal cities of Port Said, Ismailia and Suez.
On Saturday, five defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, 15 others were given 15-year prison sentences, including Port Said stadium security chief Essam Eddin Samak, eight other security personnel and three al-Masry officials.
Six defendants received 10-year jail terms and two were sent to prison for five years each. One defendant got a 12-month jail term and 28 of the accused, including seven policemen, walked free.
Al-Ahly’s hardcore fans, known as Ultras Ahlawy, celebrated the court's verdict with fireworks.
The Egyptian court has referred death penalty ruling paperwork to Egypt's Grand Mufti for approval.
Saturday's court session was the final judicial ruling on the Port Said stadium disaster.