An Egyptian court has sentenced 529 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death after a show trial that lasted just two days.

The defendants, most of whom were tried in their absence, faced charges of killing one police officer, trying to kill two others, attacking a police station and other acts of violence in August 2013.

Widespread rioting had followed the August 14 police crackdown on two sit-in camps in Cairo which killed hundreds of people and sparked days of unrest across the country.

Egypt's military had toppled Muslim Brotherhood president Mohammed Morsi in response to demonstrations by tens of millions of people demanding his removal.

The mass nature of the trial testifies to the determination of the current military-backed government to break the Brotherhood and leave no room for political reconciliation.

Today will witness a similar judicial mockery when 683 suspects will face similar charges at the Minya court, south of Cairo.

Defendants will include Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie, who also faces several other trials, and senior members of the group from Minya.

Egypt has been plagued by a wave of bombings, suicide attacks and other assaults by Islamist extremists in recent months, which the government blames on the Brotherhood.

It has designated the group a terrorist body and confiscated its assets, despite Brotherhood denials of involvement.

Lawyer Mohammed Zarie, who runs a human rights centre in Cairo, said yesterday's "over the top" verdict could set "a precedent both in the history of Egyptian courts and, perhaps, tribunals elsewhere in the world."