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| Egyptian Dissident Sentenced for Challenging Ban on Protest | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| One of Egypt’s most prominent dissidents, the blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah, was among three men arrested on Wednesday while waiting outside a court in Cairo to stand trial for violating the government’s ban on unsanctioned protests. | One of Egypt’s most prominent dissidents, the blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah, was among three men arrested on Wednesday while waiting outside a court in Cairo to stand trial for violating the government’s ban on unsanctioned protests. |
| According to his sister, the activist Mona Seif, Mr. Abd El Fattah and the two other defendants, Mohamed Noubi and Wael Metwally, were denied entry to the court and abruptly sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison. The same sentence was given to 22 other defendants who were arrested last November at a rally called by a human rights group founded by Ms. Seif, No Military Trials for Civilians, which opposes the abuse of Egypt’s court-martial system. | According to his sister, the activist Mona Seif, Mr. Abd El Fattah and the two other defendants, Mohamed Noubi and Wael Metwally, were denied entry to the court and abruptly sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison. The same sentence was given to 22 other defendants who were arrested last November at a rally called by a human rights group founded by Ms. Seif, No Military Trials for Civilians, which opposes the abuse of Egypt’s court-martial system. |
| The co-defendants were taken into custody after the ruling, Manal Hassan, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s wife and fellow blogger, reported on Twitter. She added that the men were entitled by law to a retrial, but the nature of the proceedings put that in doubt. | The co-defendants were taken into custody after the ruling, Manal Hassan, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s wife and fellow blogger, reported on Twitter. She added that the men were entitled by law to a retrial, but the nature of the proceedings put that in doubt. |
| Ms. Seif, who was among those detained at the protest in November outside the upper house of Parliament, known as the Shura Council, wrote on her Twitter feed that although her brother had attended the protest, the prosecutor’s claim that he had organized it was false. | Ms. Seif, who was among those detained at the protest in November outside the upper house of Parliament, known as the Shura Council, wrote on her Twitter feed that although her brother had attended the protest, the prosecutor’s claim that he had organized it was false. |
| The authorities charged Mr. Abd El Fattah with attacking a police officer, taking his radio and helping other protesters escape arrest. His sentence also included a fine of more than $10,000 and a probationary period of five years. | The authorities charged Mr. Abd El Fattah with attacking a police officer, taking his radio and helping other protesters escape arrest. His sentence also included a fine of more than $10,000 and a probationary period of five years. |
| Mr. Abd El Fattah, who has been jailed repeatedly for his dissident blogging — before and after the protest movement that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011 — was arrested three days after the November protest in a violent raid on his home. He was held in pretrial detention for nearly four months, until his release on bail in March. | Mr. Abd El Fattah, who has been jailed repeatedly for his dissident blogging — before and after the protest movement that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011 — was arrested three days after the November protest in a violent raid on his home. He was held in pretrial detention for nearly four months, until his release on bail in March. |
| After Mr. Abd El Fattah’s arrest on Wednesday, he posted a puckish tweet from custody, telling his 600,000 Twitter followers that he was sorry not to have finished watching “Game of Thrones” and called for the downfall of Egypt’s military-backed government. | After Mr. Abd El Fattah’s arrest on Wednesday, he posted a puckish tweet from custody, telling his 600,000 Twitter followers that he was sorry not to have finished watching “Game of Thrones” and called for the downfall of Egypt’s military-backed government. |
| As they have during his previous jail terms, Internet activists in Egypt complained bitterly about the suppression of dissent and rallied support for him online using the hashtag #FreeAlaa. | As they have during his previous jail terms, Internet activists in Egypt complained bitterly about the suppression of dissent and rallied support for him online using the hashtag #FreeAlaa. |