Egypt, secular activists sentenced to three years hard labor
Cairo ( AsiaNews) - Egyptian authorities are cracking down on prominent members of the 2011 Arab Spring. Last night, a Cairo court sentenced Ahmed Maher, founder of the April 6 Movement, Mohamed Adel, a member of the group and activist Ahmed Douma to three years imprisonment. All three were protagonists of demonstrations against Mubarak and the Muslim Brotherhood Government.Arrested in November, the three are guilty of having organized a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Cairo without permits, as required by the new law on protests.Maher, Adel and Douma were sentenced to three years hard labor and will have to pay a fine of 5 thousand euro, but can still appeal.
The sentencing of the three activists has sparked widspread criticism nationwide. Today, the Arab Organization for Human Rights stressed that what is happening is in clear contradiction of the spirit of the two revolutions of January 25 and June 30. The group has offered to help the three defendants in the appeal process and invited the Attorney General to release them on bail. Mostafa Maher, Ahmed,s brother and also a member of the April 6 Movement , stressed that the new government is following the same path of the previous regimes " fabricating charges and jailing activists and opponents". "Soon - he adds - they too could face a similar fate to that of Mubarak and Morsi". The activists on trial include Alaa Abdul Fattah , a prominent leader of the revolts against Mubarak and the demonstrations against the Islamists June 30 , who was arrested along with Maher , Adel and Douma , and who was also accused of violating the notorious law on demonstrations .
Signed by the President Adly Mansour on November 25, the measure requires the organizers to notify the authorities three days before the event, instead of seven as provided by the previous regulations, but gives police the power to disperse the demonstrations in the bud by authorizing the use of water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets. The law rules that protesters found in possession of illegal weapons will be handed down prison sentences of up to seven years and fines of more than 30 thousand euro. The government also punishes the organizers of illegal demonstrations with fines from 1000 up to 3 thousand euro .
Yesterday, the acting president has announced the formation of a committee of inquiry to investigate the violent events that took place following the June 30 protests that led to the fall of President Mohamed Morsi and August 14, culminating with the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood sit in, in Cairo. The violence that ensued led to hundreds of deaths, and attacks on churches and Christian properties throughout the country. The decision came after a meeting between Mansour and the various political factions in Egypt gathered to discuss the road map for the transition of the country.
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