Nineteen Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt have been sentenced to life in prison for rioting and staging demonstrations against the state, judicial sources in the eastern district criminal court announced on Sunday.

The verdict was released in absentia against the suspects, who include one woman.

The court also sentenced others in the case to three years in prison. One was acquitted. These four detainees were present at the court sentencing.

The accused were originally referred to trial in 2015 on charges of rioting, possession of arms and pamphlets of incitement and organizing rallies against the state, police and army.

The accused were arrested in wake of the demonstrations that were organized by the banned Muslim Brotherhood against the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

The sentenced have right to appeal the ruling before the highest civil court in Egypt.

Those tried in absentia have the right to a retrial if they are caught or if they turn themselves over to the authorities. They do not need to appeal the ruling.