CAIRO — An Egyptian court sentenced an icon of the country’s 2011 revolt to five years in prison Monday, showing authorities’ determination to continue to stifle dissent despite promises by its president to release “wrongly jailed youths.”
The verdict came in the retrial of well-known activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah, who earlier received a 15-year prison sentence for organizing an unauthorized protest and allegedly assaulting a police officer.
The courtroom erupted after the verdict, with those in the gallery shouting: “Down with oppression!” One man collapsed as Abdel-Fattah’s family and friends wept and screamed: “Down with military rule!” Police ultimately ordered everyone to clear the courtroom.
–
Rights group say that there are more than 20,000 people behind bars now in Egypt, most of them Islamists.
Go to Home Page »
