A court in Cairo has sentenced seven Egyptian Christians to death after being tried in absentia for partaking in the infamous anti-Islam video that led to numerous violent protests in various Muslim countries in September.

"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," said judge Saif al-Nasr Soliman.

According to Egypt Independent, five of the defendants live in the United States, including the film's creator Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.

The amateur film, "Innocence of Muslims," sparked violent protests in Cairo and other Muslim countries that included attacks on U.S. embassies.

Even though the sentence will not be carried out, it illustrates the prominent role Islamic law plays in Egyptian society since the Muslim Brotherhood's rise, deeming any disrespect to Islam to be punishable by death.

Egypt's Coptic Church did not issue an official comment on the sentence.