Egypt court jails anti-Mubarak activists for 3 years

CAIRO, Egypt – An Egyptian court Sunday, December 22, sentenced 3 activists who spearheaded the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak to 3 years in jail for organising an unlicensed protest, judicial sources said.

The court order is the first such verdict against non-Islamist protesters since the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in July.

Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Adel were also found guilty of rioting and assaulting security forces during an unauthorised protest held last month, the sources said.

The 3 were fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($7,100, 5,200 euros) each, they added.

The 3 were the first pro-democracy activists to go on trial amid a massive months-long government crackdown on Islamists following the military’s July 3 overthrow of Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected leader.

Maher is the founder of the April 6 youth movement that led the revolt against Mubarak. All 3 defendants were leading dissidents under Mubarak, but they also supported the military’s overthrow of Morsi, whom they accused of betraying the 2011 “revolution.” – Rappler.com