Prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah sentenced to 5 years

The case dates back to November 2013 when the controversial protest law was issued by the government. Dozens demonstrated against the military trial of civilians outside the Shoura Council where the committee writing the country’s constitution was meeting. Police later dispersed the crowd and arrested dozens of activists.

Abdel-Fattah, one of the leading opposition voices, was repeatedly imprisoned by consecutive regimes. It’s the first time he has been convicted. Several other prominent activists — including his youngest sister Sanaa and Ahmed Maher, co-founder of the April 6 Youth Movement — have been convicted of violating the protest law.

CNN