A court in Egypt has sentenced to death seven Christians in absentia for taking part in an anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims, released on the web.

The film, which depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a paedophile, was released in September and has prompted violent protests in many Muslim countries.

“The seven accused persons were convicted of insulting the Islamic religion through participating in producing and offering a movie that insults Islam and its prophet,” Judge Saif al Nasr Soliman said.

During the trial, judges were shown clips of the low-budget film, the Innocence of Muslims, and footage of Muslim protesters outraged by its content.

Produced privately in California, it triggered anti-US attacks on Western embassies and consulates.

In Libya, Islamists killed the US ambassador Chris Stevens in an attack on the consulate in Benghazi.

The movie was made by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, also known as Sam Bacile, who is believed to be a Coptic Christian from Egypt. He now lives in the US.

Egyptian courts usually hand out the maximum punishment and send the decision to the state’s top Islamic scholar to get his approval, which is always granted.

If the defendants do return to Egypt, they could get a new trial.