Ammon News - Agencies - A UAE court sentenced 20 Egyptians and 10 Emiratis to up to five years in prison on Tuesday after finding them guilty of national security charges.

The Islamists were accused of setting up an "international" branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and stealing secret information from the security services. They will have a right to appeal.

The Muslim Brotherhood is banned in much of the region, and the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia pledged billions of dollars in aid to Egypt after the military in July overthrew President Mohammad Mursi, a Brotherhood member.

The Egyptian defendants, including doctors, engineers and university professors, were arrested between November 2012 and January 2013, according to Human Rights Watch.

The Egyptians will be deported after serving their sentences, the source told Agence France-Presse.

The 10 UAE citizens were among 69 nationals jailed in July for up to 15 years on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.