Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi Dies Aged 67 - Reports

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has died aged 67, Al Ahram reported Monday

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th June, 2019) Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has died aged 67, Al Ahram reported Monday.

Morsi suffered a heart attack during a trial session in an espionage case in Cairo, the publication reported citing state television.

Morsi, born in 1951, graduated from Cairo University in 1978 with a masters degree in metallurgical engineering. He then moved to the United States, where he received a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California in 1982. In 1985, Morsi returned to Egypt to teach engineering at Zagazig University. He began his political career when he successfully ran for a membership in the Egyptian parliament in 2000.

An uprising on January 25, 2011, unseated Egypt's longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak. Morsi, who was nominated by the Muslim Brotherhood (a terrorist organization, banned in Russia), won the presidential election in June 2012.

In July 2013, amid a wave of popular discontent caused by the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, Morsi was removed from power and a transitional period was announced in the country. Morsi's supporters held mass protests demanding his return to the presidency. As a result of the riots and clashes that followed the protests, hundreds of Egyptians were killed.

Since Morsi was removed from power, five criminal cases were opened against him, including in connection with clashes near the presidential palace between his supporters and opposition in December 2012, espionage in favor of Qatar and Hamas movement, his escape from prison during the 2011 mass riots and Morsi insulting judges.