Policeman in Egypt who killed man over price of cup of tea sentenced to life in prison
A policeman who killed someone over the price of a cup of tea in Egypt has been sentenced to life in prison.
The sentence which was handed on Wednesday is a rare lengthy punishment for police violence in a country that rights activists say has a culture of impunity. Life sentences in Egypt normally run for 25 years.
The policeman shot three people in a Cairo suburb after an argument over the price of a cup of tea killing one of them and causing a riot.
The sentence, issued after he was convicted of murder, can be appealed.
Activists say police brutality is widespread in Egypt, enabled by a culture of impunity. The Interior Ministry says abuses are isolated and incidents are investigated.
Public anger over allegations of police brutality has been bubbling over the past year, with several incidents spilling over into skirmishes and protests, five years after an uprising in which police officers were a major focus of discontent.
In February, a policeman shot dead a driver in the street in an argument over a fare, prompting hundreds of people to protest outside the Cairo security directorate.
