(Photo Public Domain)
A Cairo court sentenced Ahmed Arafa, a supporter of disqualified presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, to life in prison for illegal possession of weapons.
He was also sentenced to pay a fine of EGP 20,000. Arafa was arrested on 19 December by plain clothed policemen who broke the door to his family home and raided the house. Arafa was eventually released on bail.
In a video, his mother said the security men were all armed. They pushed her to the ground injuring her and on their way up, they also beat the porter. They claimed to have a warrant but never showed it to her. They took two cell phones that belonged to Arafa, a laptop, an iPad, and his car.
Lawyer Amr Imam said that according to Egyptian law, a person can be sentenced to life in prison for illegal weapons possession depending on the weapon, whether the person was going to use it and the circumstances of the case.
The Ahrar Movement, to which Arafa belongs, said in a statement on Sunday: “The sentencing of Arafa in absentia today is just an episode in the series of confrontations that the movement and its youth face… in addition to the war of endless distortion, lies, and slander.”
