Cairo (CNN) An Egyptian court on Saturday issued its final verdict upholding death sentences against 75 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters -- including journalists -- for their participation in protests following the 2013 ouster of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsy.

The mass trial has been widely condemned by human rights organizations, with Amnesty International calling it a "grotesque parody of justice."

The 739 defendants, who included members of the Muslim Brotherhood, were arrested and tried for participating in a monthlong sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda squares in Cairo to protest the removal of Morsy.

The protest culminated in mass violence, when Egyptian security forces -- under the command of now-President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi -- attempted to clear thousands of demonstrators by using automatic weapons, armored personnel carriers and military bulldozers. Hundreds of people were killed.

Among those sentenced to death Saturday at the Cairo Criminal Court were prominent Muslim Brotherhood members Essam El-Erian, Mohamed Beltagy, Abdel-Rahman al-Bar and Osama Yassin. Of the 75 people, 44 are in jail and 31 are on the run.

Although the verdict is considered final, the defendants can still appeal.

Another 56 defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, including Mohamed Badie, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.

About 200 defendants were sentenced to five years behind bars, among them photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, also known as Shawkan. As the judge finished reading their verdict, they cheered, as they have already served their time in detention and expect to be released soon.

"Those who were sentenced to five years will be released, but according to the sentence, they will remain for another five years under surveillance," Mohamed Wahid, one of the defendant's lawyers, told CNN.

Shawkan, 31, was arrested on August 14, 2013, while taking pictures of security forces dispersing the Rabaa sit-in. He was awarded the Press Freedom Prize by the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO in April.

The government's actions in dispersing the Rabaa Adawiya square protest were widely condemned by international rights organizations. At least 817 people were killed in the violence, a 2014 report by Human Rights Watch found.

Analysis: Dream of freedom 'dead and buried'

The verdict is confirmation, if any were needed, that the dream of freedom in Egypt, which sent millions into the streets in January 2011, is dead and buried, said Ben Wedeman , CNN's senior international correspondent who was based in Cairo for the network for 11 years. The trial, like most in Egypt, was a farce.

The hope and optimism of the Arab Spring evaporated long ago, he said. And many now look back wistfully on the paternalistic, corrupt, sometimes-brutal presidency of former President Hosni Mubarak as "the good old days."

Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A bus passes a destroyed pickup truck with loudspeakers that was used by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy on Friday, August 2. The supporters and security forces clashed in Sixth of October City in Giza, south of Cairo, after the government ordered their protest camps be broken up. Look at the latest violence in Egypt. Hide Caption 1 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters walk past makeshift roadblocks at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in Cairo on Saturday, August 3. Security forces set up the roadblocks outside the square, allowing people to leave but not enter, as they attempt to break up camps set up during ongoing protests over Morsy's ouster. Hide Caption 2 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters run among the smoke and fire resulting from clashes with security forces in Sixth of October City in Giza on August 2. The military ousted Morsy, Egypt's first democratically elected president, in early July after days of mass demonstrations. Dozens of Morsy backers angry at Egypt's military-backed government have died in weekend violence in the volatile nation's capital. See photos of protests that have engulfed the country. Hide Caption 3 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian riot police block the entrance to Sixth of October City in Giza on August 2 following clashes with Morsy supporters. Hide Caption 4 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters in red helmets march during a protest against the government in Cairo on August 2. Pro-Morsy marches began after Friday prayers, when supporters made their way back to their camp outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque. Hide Caption 5 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters march in a demonstration against the Egyptian government in Cairo on August 2. Hide Caption 6 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Egypt's deposed President Mohammed Morsy gather for prayers at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, on Sunday, July 28. Hide Caption 7 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A boy wears a tear gas mask as supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsy pray at the camp set up by supporters in the Nasr City area of Cairo on July 28. Hide Caption 8 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Doctors treat an injured supporter of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy during clashes with security forces in Cairo on Saturday, July 27. Hide Caption 9 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A wounded Morsy supporter lies on the floor of a field hospital in Cairo on July 27. Thousands of Morsy supporters gathered Saturday in the Nasr City neighborhood despite dozens of deaths the night before and veiled threats from the military. Hide Caption 10 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy protest outside a field hospital in Cairo where the bodies of slain Morsy supporters have been brought July 27. Hide Caption 11 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – The body of a Muslim Brotherhood protester, reportedly shot dead after violence erupted the night before, is moved as mourners watch inside a field hospital in Cairo on July 27. Hide Caption 12 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Two men mourn Morsy supporters who were killed in overnight clashes with security forces, in Cairo, on July 27. Hide Caption 13 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A medic pauses at a field hospital in Cairo on July 27 after tending to the bodies of Morsy supporters reportedly killed in fighting. Hide Caption 14 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy carry an injured man to a field hospital amid clashes with security forces in Cairo on July 27. Hide Caption 15 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Doctors treat a Morsy supporter injured during clashes with security forces in Cairo on July 27. Hide Caption 16 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy rally in Giza, on Friday, July 26. Hide Caption 17 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of the Egyptian military rally at Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday, July 26. Hide Caption 18 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy opponents rally in Cairo on July 26. Hide Caption 19 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy opponents watch a demonstration from a rooftop near Tahrir Square in Cairo on July 26. Hide Caption 20 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian soldiers stand guard atop an armored vehicle on a bridge leading to Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, July 26. Hide Caption 21 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy advocate builds a giant portrait of the deposed president Thursday, July 25, while other supporters hold a sit-in outside a Cairo mosque. The military has detained Morsy while an interim government takes shape. Hide Caption 22 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters say evening prayers during a rally July 25 outside a Cairo mosque. Hide Caption 23 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man with a pistol and other Morsy opponents detain a suspected Morsy supporter who was wounded during clashes in Cairo on Monday, July 22. Supporters and opponents clashed near the city's Tahrir Square. Hide Caption 24 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Men evacuate an injured opponent of Morsy during clashes with his supporters in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 25 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man fires a gun during clashes between opponents and supporters of Morsy in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 26 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A riot police officer aims rubber bullets toward Morsy supporters in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 27 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Riot police evacuate an injured anti-Morsy protester in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 28 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter, center, who was allegedly beaten by opponents of Morsy runs during clashes in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 29 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy opponent carries his injured friend in Cairo on July 22. Hide Caption 30 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Photos: Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy pause for Friday prayers on July 19 at Nasr City in Cairo, where protesters have installed their camp and held daily rallies. Hide Caption 31 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Photos: Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters take part in a protest march near government ministry buildings on Wednesday, July 17, in Cairo. Hide Caption 32 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Photos: Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter is held back by riot police during a rally near Tahrir Square on July 17. Hide Caption 33 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and of Morsy covers his mouth under the 6th October Bridge in Cairo on Tuesday, July 16. Hide Caption 34 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A riot police officer fires tear gas toward Morsy supporters during clashes in Cairo on Monday, July 15. Hide Caption 35 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters run from tear gas in Cairo on July 15. Hide Caption 36 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians in Cairo's Tahrir Square pray before breaking their fast on the third day of Ramadan, the sacred holy month for Muslims, on Friday, July 12. Hide Caption 37 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of the deposed Morsy rally in Nasr City, Egypt, a suburb of Cairo, on Monday, July 8. Hide Caption 38 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man reacts after seeing the body of a family member at the Liltaqmeen al-Sahy Hospital in Cairo, allegedly killed during a sit-in supporting Morsy in front of the Republican Guard headquarters on July 8. Hide Caption 39 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Injured men receive medical attention after clashes between supporters of Morsy and security forces in Cairo on July 8. Hide Caption 40 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Opponents of Mohamed Morsy gather at Tahrir Square during a protest in Cairo on Sunday, July 7. Hide Caption 41 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy pray next to the headquarters of the Republican Guards in Cairo on Saturday, July 6, during the funeral of seven people killed during clashes. Hide Caption 42 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – People carry coffins on July 6 of two Morsy opponents who were killed during clashes in Cairo. Hide Caption 43 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter joins protests near the University of Cairo in Giza on July 6. Hide Caption 44 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in Cairo on Friday, July 5. Hide Caption 45 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A protester is attended to in Cairo's Tahrir Square during fighting between the pro- and anti-Morsy crowds on July 5. Hide Caption 46 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – An Egyptian military helicopter hovers over supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and deposed President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on July 5. Hide Caption 47 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters hold up their bloodstained hands after Egypt's armed forces opened fire on rally in front of the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo on July 5. Hide Caption 48 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters carry a man who was shot during clashes next to the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo on July 5. State broadcaster Nile TV said a number of those backing the deposed leader were wounded as they tried to storm the headquarters, where Morsy reportedly was being held. Hide Caption 49 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A wounded man is helped following the gun battle outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard on July 5. Hide Caption 50 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians hold portraits of Gen. Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi reading "Come down, Sisi" as they gather in Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square on July 5. Hide Caption 51 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters react to an explosion during clashes with police officers on July 5 outside Cairo University in Giza. Hide Caption 52 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian Army soldiers stand guard at the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard on July 5 as an Apache attack helicopter flies overhead. Hide Caption 53 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters pray near the University of Cairo in Giza on July 5. Hide Caption 54 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man prays on July 5 before the protest near the University of Cairo. Hide Caption 55 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Protesters take cover from tear gas during clashes outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard in Cairo on July 5. Hide Caption 56 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A military helicopter flies by Egypt's Presidential Palace in Cairo on July 5. Hide Caption 57 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians watch fireworks in Tahrir Square on Thursday, July 4, the day after Morsy's ouster. Hide Caption 58 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – People dance and cheer in the streets of Cairo on July 4. Hide Caption 59 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter holds a poster of the deposed president during a July 4 rally in Nasr City. Hide Caption 60 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A massive crowd gathers in Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 61 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians cheer and wave national flags as airplanes fly above Tahrir Square on July 4, leaving a trail of smoke in the colors of the national flag. Hide Caption 62 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A woman uses a mobile phone to record the July 4 celebrations in Tahrir Square. Hide Caption 63 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – An opposition protester chants slogans against Morsy near Cairo University, where Muslim Brotherhood supporters gathered on July 4 to show support for the ousted president. Hide Caption 64 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man holds a newspaper near Mesaha Square in Cairo on July 4. Hide Caption 65 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Dejected Morsy supporters attend a rally in Nasr City on July 4. Hide Caption 66 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter shows his bloodied shirt during a July 4 rally near the University of Cairo. Hide Caption 67 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A young Egyptian boy shoots off fireworks during celebrations in Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 68 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – People walk by a pile of Egyptian flags for sale in Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 69 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Crowds throng Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 70 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian soldiers deploy near Cairo University on July 4. Hide Caption 71 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – People dance and cheer at Tahrir Square in Cairo on July 4. Hide Caption 72 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Adly Mansour, center, stands after delivering a speech during his swearing-in ceremony as Egypt's interim president in the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo on July 4. Mansour has served as the head of the country's Supreme Constitutional Court. Hide Caption 73 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Armored vehicles with the Egyptian army sit at a checkpoint in the Cairo district of Nasr City on July 4. Hide Caption 74 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter reacts as a military helicopter flies over during a July 4 rally in Nasr City. Hide Caption 75 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A boy with face paint the color of the Egyptian flag pauses on July 4 in Tahrir Square. Hide Caption 76 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A pedestrian shakes hands with a member of the military at a roadblock in Giza. Hide Caption 77 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Security personnel rest on July 4 in Tahrir Square. Hide Caption 78 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A man walks to Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 79 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A family sleeps on a bridge near Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 80 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – A member of the Egyptian military redirects traffic on July 4 at a roadblock in Giza. Hide Caption 81 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – Bread is sold near Tahrir Square on July 4. Hide Caption 82 of 83 Photos: 2013 unrest in Egypt Unrest in Egypt – An Egyptian military member guards a roadblock in Giza on July 4. Hide Caption 83 of 83

Back then, the Muslim Brotherhood, many leaders of which have now been sentenced to death, operated with relative freedom, though the organization was officially banned under Mubarak, Wedeman said.

The Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters, in an apartment building on the leafy island of Manyal in the middle of the Nile, didn't have a sign on the door. But anyone could call, make appointments, come for interviews. There was nothing hush-hush about it.

Since then, Sisi's government has labeled the Brotherhood a "terrorist" group, and its members have been arrested, pushed underground or driven into exile.

Through the unrelenting crackdown, Sisi has indeed turned some in the Brotherhood into terrorists who have joined, for example, the ISIS affiliate in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Wedeman said.

Morsy, a former Brotherhood leader who was the country's first democratically elected president following the fall of Mubarak, remains in prison awaiting a retrial. Osama Morsy, his son, was sentenced Saturday to 10 years in prison.

Another 360 defendants were sentenced to 15 years in prison. No one was found innocent.

Of the accused, 315 are jailed and 419 are fugitives. Charges were dropped against five defendants who died.

Meanwhile, what has changed in the Arab world, Wedeman said, is that the desire for greater political freedom, while not erased, has been superseded for many by a much more simple and pressing demand for better -- or even just basic -- public services.

In the past week, thousands of Iraqis in Basra protested night after night for clean drinking water, electricity and jobs.

Governments can try to convince or coerce their constituencies into thinking freedom and democracy are not worth the disorder that often accompanies them. In that, Sisi's government has succeeded, Wedeman said.

But it's a whole different matter to convince people they can live with little food, undrinkable water, unreliable electricity and little work. The Iraqi government is finding that out now.

Egypt -- with a population of around 90 million, an inefficient bureaucracy and an economy set up to favor the military -- is not immune, he said.

US military aid released

The Trump administration in July released $195 million in military aid to Egypt -- funds that had been previously withheld due to concerns over the country's human rights record.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has since authorized the release of a further $1.2 billion in US military assistance to Egypt, a US State Department spokesperson said.

"We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Egypt, and we will continue to raise these concerns with Egyptian officials, including at the senior-most levels of the Egyptian government," the spokesperson said. "At the same time, strengthened security cooperation with Egypt is important to US national security."

Saturday's verdict upholds a July 28 ruling, in which 75 defendants were referred to the Grand Mufti in what's considered a preliminary death sentence. They included senior members of the group such as El-Erian, Beltagy and al-Bar.

Egypt requires that courts refer death sentences to the Grand Mufti to give a non-binding opinion to make sure the penalty is in line with the Islamic Sharia.