Renowned activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who faces trial alongside 24 others, was sentenced to five years of maximum security prison by a Cairo court on Monday, in his retrial for charges of illegal assembly. Osama al-Mahdy, Abdel Fattah’s lawyer said today’s verdict is considered a preliminary one, since the initial verdict was handed in absentia. “We will appeal at the Court of Cassation,” he said, adding that this court will decide whether to uphold the verdict or order a retrial. Another defendant, Ahmed Abdel Rahman was handed the same prison term of five years. The court handed 18 other defendants three year sentences. Each of the 20 defendants who attended the session was ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($13,100). The 20 defendants were also ordered to be placed under probation for an amount of time equivalent to their jail terms. All defendants were acquitted of a robbery charge but were convicted for illegal assembly, blocking roads and inciting riots. Defendants’ families chanted against military rule after the verdict was read out. In its reasoning, the Cairo Criminal Court said the minimum penalty for this crime is…
Alaa Abdel Fattah Sentenced to Five Years in Maximum Security Prison
February 23, 2015
