Egyptian security forces block ex-presidential candidate’s press conference

Egyptian security forces have blocked a press conference by former presidential candidate Khalid Ali, Masralarabia.com has reported. Security officers raided the printer who had prepared the documents for the lawyer’s press conference scheduled to be held on Monday, in which he was expected to discuss the election.

“A few minutes ago, the security forces confiscated some of my papers and destroyed the remainder in a pre-emptive measure to undermine my proposed press conference,” Ali wrote on Facebook. “This confirms that the country does not accept any new vision which is alternative to the current poverty and authoritarian regime.” He insisted that the pre-emptive raid would not stop him from holding the press conference on time. “I stress that confiscating and damaging the papers which include a different vision to solve the ruling crisis of Egypt… will not stop us from posing our visions to the Egyptian people.”

Previously, the well-known lawyer had said that he would have announced his final decision regarding his possible participation in the 2018 presidential elections. However, as Amnesty International has pointed out, Ali was sentenced to three months in prison which would prevent him from standing in the 2018 presidential elections if the verdict is confirmed on appeal.

A court in Egypt found him guilty of “violating public decency” in relation to a photograph showing him celebrating a legal victory after successfully reversing a controversial Egyptian government decision to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. He was released on bail of 1,000 Egyptian pounds pending appeal.

Read: As presidential elections loom Sisi moves to control judiciary