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Egypt Administrative Court Annuls Transfer of Red Sea Islands to Saudi Arabia

June 21, 2016
Tiran Island

Egypt’s Administrative Court annulled the decision to transfer the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The court also prohibited change in the islands’ status “in any form or procedure for the benefit of any other country.” The government can appeal the ruling within 60 days. Former presidency candidate Khaled Ali, along with rights lawyers Malek Adly and Tarek Al-Awady had filed a complaint against the handover of the Red Sea islands after gathering thousands of petitions. Adly was later arrested over charges of “spreading rumors that would disrupt public security” and “harming national unity,” among other charges, and was not released. Following demonstrations on April 15 and 25 that decried the land transfer, authorities had arrested hundreds of protesters, sentencing 152 of them to two to five years of imprisonment, and collecting fines worth 4.7 million EGP. Others were arrested by security forces from their homes and from cafés in anticipation of the April 25 protests. “This decision is a victory for the revolutionary camp,”said Abdallah Mohamed, who had protested on both days. Arrested on April 26 and released four days later, Mohamed believes that the equations of political powers, decision-making and influence have changed. Tensions escalated…


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