Alaa Abdel Fatah was a prominent figure in the 2011 revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. The activist's family have long decried the conditions of his years-long detention.
Alaa Abdel Fattah, pictured here in 2014, is one of Egypt's most prominent activists
A court in Cairo sentenced Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah to five years in prison, his family confirmed on Monday.
The activist, who had been previously imprisoned for five years, was a major figure in the 2011 revolution, which led to the ouster of long-time former President Hosni Mubarak who had held power for three decades.
What is the latest?
Abdel Fattah has been held in detention since 2019 along with two others who were charged with "broadcasting false news."
The other two convicted on Monday were the activist's lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer and the blogger Mohamed "Oxygen" Ibrahim.
"Alaa was sentenced to five years, Baqer four years and Mohamed Oxygen four years," the activist's sister Mona Seif wrote on Twitter.
"The judge was too cowardly to even inform us," she added.
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Judicial sources confirmed the verdict to Reuters news agency and AFP.
The rulings cannot be appealed, but require final approval by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Ahead of Monday's verdict the German government called for a "fair trial" and the release of the three men. Egypt slammed the statement from Berlin as "a blatant and unjustified meddling in Egyptian internal affairs."
Who is Alaa Abdel Fattah?
Abdel Fattah is a blogger and computer programmer who became a high-profile activist during the 2011 revolution in Egypt. He mobilized youths online in the uprising that ousted Mubarak.
His family family have long criticized the conditions of his pre-trial detention.
"He is denied access to books, a radio, a watch, and he is banned from walking [outside his prison cell]. He does not leave his prison cell at all except of when we visit him or if he is going to prosecution or court," his mother Leila Soueif said ahead of the hearing.
Under Egyptian law, the pre-trial detentions are allowed to last up to two years, but often last much longer.
Rights groups say that tens of thousands of people have been jailed amid a wide-reaching crackdown on political dissent under President el-Sisi.
rs/aw (AFP, Reuters)
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A time for hope
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Cairo court sentences Egyptian revolution activist Alaa Abdel Fattah to five years in prison
Issued on: 20/12/2021
Political activist and blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah during an interview from his home in Cairo on May 17, 2021. © Khaled Desouki, AFP
Text by: NEWS WIRES|
Video by: Nicholas RUSHWORTH
Egypt on Monday sentenced Alaa Abdel Fattah, a leading figure in the 2011 revolution, to five years in jail with two others receiving four years, said his sister and a judical source
Abdel Fattah, his lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer and the blogger Mohamed "Oxygen" Ibrahim were convicted of "broadcasting false news" in their trial in Cairo.
"Alaa was sentenced to five years, Baqer four years and Mohamed Oxygen four years," his sister Mona Seif said on Twitter.
"The judge was too cowardly to even inform us," she said after the sentencing at the State Security Misdemeanours Court in the capital.
A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the verdict and sentencing to AFP.
Rulings in the court cannot be appealed. They require final approval by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Abdel Fattah, a computer programmer, blogger and high-profile activist who mobilised youths in the 2011 uprising that unseated autocrat Hosni Mubarak, had been in pre-trial detention since September 2019.
>> Nine years after Egyptian revolution started, Tahrir Square icon languishes in jail
Pre-trial detention can last up to two years under Egyptian law, but in practice detainees are often kept waiting behind bars longer.
Abdel Fattah was arrested in the wake of rare night-time protests prompted by an exiled construction contractor calling for the removal of President Sisi on claims of corruption.
Baqer and Ibrahim were also detained in a massive crackdown.
Abdel Fattah has spent most of the past decade in jail.
Germany had called for a ‘fair trial’, release of dissidents
Ahead of the trial, Egypt's foreign ministry lambasted the German government on Saturday for a statement calling for a "fair trial" and the release of the three dissidents.
Cairo described the German foreign ministry's release as "a blatant and unjustified meddling in Egyptian internal affairs".
Rights groups say there are some 60,000 political prisoners in Egypt facing brutal, unhygienic conditions and overcrowded cells.
In a 2019 interview with the show 60 Minutes on broadcaster CBS, Sisi said there were no political prisoners in Egypt.
The former army chief became president in 2014 after leading the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi a year earlier.
He has since overseen a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Those jailed for criticising the political status quo have included academics, journalists, lawyers, activists, comedians, Islamists, presidential candidates and MPs.
(AFP)
Text by: NEWS WIRES|
Video by: Nicholas RUSHWORTH
Abdel Fattah sentence shows Egyptian authorities intent on continuing crackdown on dissent, Amnesty researcher says
04:52
Egypt on Monday sentenced Alaa Abdel Fattah, a leading figure in the 2011 revolution, to five years in jail with two others receiving four years, said his sister and a judical source
Abdel Fattah, his lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer and the blogger Mohamed "Oxygen" Ibrahim were convicted of "broadcasting false news" in their trial in Cairo.
"Alaa was sentenced to five years, Baqer four years and Mohamed Oxygen four years," his sister Mona Seif said on Twitter.
"The judge was too cowardly to even inform us," she said after the sentencing at the State Security Misdemeanours Court in the capital.
A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the verdict and sentencing to AFP.
Rulings in the court cannot be appealed. They require final approval by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Abdel Fattah, a computer programmer, blogger and high-profile activist who mobilised youths in the 2011 uprising that unseated autocrat Hosni Mubarak, had been in pre-trial detention since September 2019.
>> Nine years after Egyptian revolution started, Tahrir Square icon languishes in jail
Pre-trial detention can last up to two years under Egyptian law, but in practice detainees are often kept waiting behind bars longer.
Abdel Fattah was arrested in the wake of rare night-time protests prompted by an exiled construction contractor calling for the removal of President Sisi on claims of corruption.
Baqer and Ibrahim were also detained in a massive crackdown.
Abdel Fattah has spent most of the past decade in jail.
Germany had called for a ‘fair trial’, release of dissidents
Ahead of the trial, Egypt's foreign ministry lambasted the German government on Saturday for a statement calling for a "fair trial" and the release of the three dissidents.
Cairo described the German foreign ministry's release as "a blatant and unjustified meddling in Egyptian internal affairs".
Rights groups say there are some 60,000 political prisoners in Egypt facing brutal, unhygienic conditions and overcrowded cells.
In a 2019 interview with the show 60 Minutes on broadcaster CBS, Sisi said there were no political prisoners in Egypt.
The former army chief became president in 2014 after leading the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi a year earlier.
He has since overseen a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Those jailed for criticising the political status quo have included academics, journalists, lawyers, activists, comedians, Islamists, presidential candidates and MPs.
(AFP)
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