Egypt court jails 10 for 3 yrs over islands demos
An Egyptian court has sentenced 10 people to three years' imprisonment for taking part in demonstrations against a recent contentious decision by the government to hand over two strategic islands to Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, a Cairo misdemeanor court handed down the jail term to the 10, who were allegedly convicted of “belonging to a terrorist group that incites to topple the regime, spreading false news, disturbing public peace and security and inciting protests.”
The defendants, among them a woman, were also fined 100,000 Egyptian pounds (about 11,260 USD).
The court had previously released all the defendants on bail pending investigation except one, activist Hamdy Kamal, who is also standing trial in another case.
Thursday’s court ruling can still be appealed.
On April 9, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced that the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir fall within the territorial waters of Saudi Arabia as stipulated in a maritime border agreement signed between Cairo and Riyadh the previous day.
However, legal experts and opposition figures cast doubt on the legitimacy of the deal, arguing that relinquishing authority over Egyptian territory is unconstitutional.
Critics accused Sisi of surrendering Egyptian territory in return for Saudi money, with reports saying that Cairo is receiving USD 20 billion in aid from Riyadh in return for agreeing to the handover of sovereignty.
Last month, an administrative court “cancelled the signing” of the controversial agreement with Saudi Arabia and said the islands “remain Egyptian.”
A higher court started on 3 July to hear the government’s appeal against the verdict while a recusal request by a leftist lawyer, who brought the lawsuit against the deal, has been postponed to July 30.
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