A court on Monday confirmed 183 death sentences against the men who were convicted of lynching 13 policemen outside Cairo two years ago. Five others have received reduced sentences or been set free.

In December, the court had issued a preliminary verdict, sentencing 188 defendants to death. Two of these were acquitted on Monday, while one was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Charges against two other defendants were dropped after the court discovered they were dead.

The men were convicted of playing a role in the killings of policemen in the town of Kerdassa, on the outskirts of Cairo in August 2013.

Thirteen policemen died in the violence, which happened on the same day that security forces violently scattered two major camps of supporters of deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Nearly 700 people died in the police operation.

Several thousands were arrested following the upheaval and put on mass trials after Egypt's former army chief and current President, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, described Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood as a major security threat.

Human rights groups have accused el-Sissi's government of systematically repressing opponents. The Egyptian leader has been under severe pressure from the United Nations, which has called on the country to investigate rights abuses against protesters, journalists and human rights activists.

mg/rg (AP, AFP, dpa)