Former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi holds a news conference with Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, at the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, July 13, 2012.  (Photo: AP) 

CAIRO (People's Daily) -- Egypt's state TV reports that the country's ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, collapsed during a court session and died. 

Morsi had been Egypt's elected president following the death of Hosni Mubarak in 2012, but was deposed after a military coup in 2013 that installed General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi into power. 

"The former president had asked to talk and the judge gave him the permission," state-run Ahram said.

Morsi fainted later and his body was taken to hospital, it added.  

Morsi, 67, who took office in 2012, was ousted by the army in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule.

Since then, Morsi and top leaders of his Muslim Brotherhood group have been kept in prison and faced trials over charges of murder, violence and spy.

The Islamist leader has been in prison since his ouster on trial for several cases including for spying for Iran, Qatar and militant groups such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

Since his overthrow on July 3, 2013, his former defence minister now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has waged an ongoing crackdown targeting his supporters from the Muslim Brotherhood with thousands jailed and hundreds facing death sentences.

The years following Morsi's overthrow have seen a surge in bombings and shootings targeting security forces, particularly in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of the Islamic State group.

Morsi's turbulent rule was marked by deep divisions in Egyptian society, a crippling economic crisis and often-deadly opposition protests.

(With input from Xinhua)