Egypt acquits 5 students of violence

The Court of Cessation yesterday acquitted five female Al-Azhar University students of violence in the case known in the media as “Rufaidah and her sisters”.

The students, Alaa Mahmoud Abdel-Rahman, Afaf Ahmed Omar Hussein Hadi, Hanadi Ahmed Mahmoud Ahmed, Rafidah Ibrahim Ahmed and Asmaa Hamdi Abdul Sattar Hussein, faced charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation, attacking security personnel and protesting without permits.

The Nasr City Misdemeanour Court sentenced the five students to five years in prison and a 100,000 Egyptian pound ($5,401) fine each in 2014.

The Court of Cessation then accepted an appeal by their lawyers.