Amnesty condemns Egyptian ruling against political activists

An Egyptian court decision to imprison political activist Alaa Abdel Fatah yesterday to 15 years in prison and several other colleagues in the Shura Council events which took place in November has stirred several repercussions.

Amnesty International condemned the decision saying it represents another episode in the security crackdown series.

Regarding the ruling Amnesty International said: “The conviction by the criminal court in Cairo of Alaa Abdel Fatah, a blogger and prominent activist, and 24 others to 15 years in prison for charges motivated by political considerations is an outrageous travesty of justice.”

In an official statement released by the organization on its official website, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said “Protesting peacefully is not a crime. It’s deeply troubling that, just days into Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi’s presidency, courts are already jailing government critics. By locking up one of the leading activists in Egypt, the authorities are sending a clear message that they will not tolerate anyone daring to challenge or criticise them.”

Several human rights activists and journalists have condemned the court’s ruling against Abdel Fatah and his colleagues in absentia.

Human rights lawyer, Ahmed Helmi said: “What happened with Abdel Fatah, at the Institute of Police officers is far from justice.”

The Building and Development Party senior member Tariq Al-Zumur said: “The party condemns the unjust sentences against Abdel Fatah and his colleagues and emphasises that the counter-revolution war against the January revolution is still continuing” and it “does not differentiate between Islamic or liberal”.

He suggested: “The correct response would be to rally all forces and movements of the January revolution to a unified program to complete it and save Egypt from the worst fate awaits it.”

Journalist Yasser Zaatreh said arresting Abdel Fatah and his colleagues is part of the conspiracy against the January revolution and a confirmation “for those who still have doubt that the state of the new president Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi is a police state that will bury the January revolution.”