A potential challenger to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been handed a jail sentence for public indecency, and could be barred from contesting the presidency in 2018 should the sentence be upheld.
Khaled Ali, a human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate, was slapped with the three-month prison term by a Cairo court for making what was deemed as an obscene hand gesture on the steps of a courthouse after winning a case against the government.
Ali has gained a lot of political mileage since January when he won a case nullifying an unpopular government transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
He has not formally declared his intentions to oppose Sisi in next year’s poll, but local media reports he has such plans.
The 45-year-old denied making the gesture, and is accusing the government of punishing him for his work in the nullification of the Red Sea islands deal.
Monday’s verdict can be appealed without Ali serving jail time during the appeal process, but a final verdict could come immediately should the appeal be rejected, meaning he would not be allowed to run for the presidency.
Ali, a socialist, ran for president in 2012 and came seventh and now leads the leftwing Bread and Freedom Party, several members of which were arrested earlier this year on charges that include inciting against the state.
