The Minya Criminal Court in southern Egypt sentenced nine people to death by hanging after accusing them of killing 11 people “in revenge” for the death of their relative in 2011.

The court also handed a defendant a 15-year term, in addition to confiscating the weapon seized and used in the incident, local newspapers reported.

The case dates back to 30 January 2011, when the defendants went out to avenge the death of their relative who had been killed by another family for having an affair with their female relative.

According to an Amnesty International report released earlier this week, at least 356 people were sentenced to death by Egyptian courts in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent and the highest number of death sentences that the rights group was able to record worldwide in 2021.