CAIRO // An Egyptian court has sentenced 152 protesters to between two and five years in prison each after they demonstrated against a decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
Hundreds of police officers were deployed in central Cairo on April 25 to quell protests against president Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s decision to hand over Tiran and Sanafir islands.
More than 200 people are being tried in connection with the protests, judicial sources said.
Of the 152 sentenced on Saturday, 101 received five-year prison terms and 51 received two-year sentences, judicial sources and the state-owned Al Ahram newspaper said.
They were convicted of breaking a law banning people from protesting without first notifying the interior ministry.
Defence lawyer Ahmed Helmy said they would appeal. “There is no evidence of guilt,” he said.
The prosecution did not issue any formal statement on the verdicts.
In similar protests, on April 15, thousands of people had called for “the fall of the regime”, a slogan from the 2011 uprisings which ended Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule and briefly brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power.
More than 100 people were detained at those protests, security officials said at the time. Most were later freed without charge, according to judicial sources.
Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh had asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them.
* Reuters
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
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Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
