CAIRO, Jun 17 (Aswat Masriya) - Death sentences served to political opponents in Egypt harm the state's "security and stability" and block the road to reconciliation, Qatar said in a statement reported by the state news agency QNA late Tuesday.

The gulf Arab state expressed its "deep concern" regarding the Cairo Criminal Court's decision to sentence ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi to death for escaping prison.

Mursi was sentenced to death in the prison escape trial on Tuesday, alongside 98 others. They are accused of escaping the Wadi al-Natroun prison during the January 2011 uprising.

The ousted president was also sentenced to life in prison for an espionage case on Tuesday. Sixteen were sentenced to death in the espionage case, including Brotherhood figures Khairat al-Shater and Mohamed El-Beltagy.

"Qatar joins the countries that demand the repeal of this sentence and the release of Dr. Mohamed Mursi," QNA reported.

Egyptian ties with Qatar have deteriorated following the army's ouster of Mursi in July 2013, which was prompted by mass protests against his rule. Qatar was a strong supporter of Mursi's regime. 

Nevertheless, Egypt and Qatar both embraced an appeal by the late Saudi King Abdullah in December 2014 to consolidate relations between them.

Qatar's condemnation followed other critical statements to the Tuesday court rulings from the White House, the United Nations' secretary general, the European Union and the Turkish president and Foreign Ministry.

International watchdog Human Rights Watch also condemned the sentences and said the trials were "politically motivated" and "compromised by due process violations".

Mursi, who became Egypt's president in June 2012 after the first democratic elections in the country, was eventually ousted at the hands of the military following mass protests against his rule, after a year in power.

Since his removal in July 2013, Mursi has faced multiple charges in five trials.

The former president still faces charges in a separate espionage trial and for insulting the judiciary.

His ouster was also followed by the arrests of dozens of Brotherhood leading figures. 

Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel since July 2013.

The Brotherhood continuously denies the accusations.