51 Egyptians imprisoned for protesting against the handover of the Red Sea Islands to Saudi Arabia
At least 51 people were sentenced to two years in prison by an Egyptian court after protesting the handover of the Red Sea islands by the government to Saudi Arabia, the ruling was confirmed by the defence lawyers Hossam al-Khadrawy and Ahmed Abdel-Latif.
The ruling was given to the 33 defendants present in court with the others out on bail. Friends and family were moved to tears after the learning of the verdict outside the courthouse in Cairo.
Dozens of people were arrested after the police dispersed the protests against the islands ownership transfer on the 25th of April this year. Those arrested were charged with participating in illegal rallies.
Police has arrested many in the small protests that lead to a large rally in April where demonstrators chanted for the “fall of the regime” reports Al Jazeera
Egypt’s government has maintained that the islands belonged to Saudi Arabia and that Egypt was administering the Islands on a lease since the 1950’s.
The decision to hand over the islands was made during Saudi Arabia’s King Salman visit to Egypt. Critics say that President Sisi “sold” the uninhabited islands, Tiran and Sanafir, in return of investments by the Saudi kingdom.
