(Photo courtesy of Free Mahienour)
The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) denounced the arrest of four supporters of prominent activist and lawyer Mahienour El-Massry.
AFTE issued a statement on Sunday after the Abdeen prosecution ordered the detainment of Ahmed Abdel Aleem, Jazi Farag, Ahmed Rashad and Kama Sayed following a Cairo protest calling for El-Massry’s freedom.
The four protesters are accused with protesting without a permit, blocking traffic and projection of violence.
An Alexandria court had sentenced El-Massry and eight other activists to two years in prison and an EGP 50,000 fine on Tuesday for protesting during the trial of the policemen charged with the murder of Khaled Said. Seven of them are currently detained.
The charges against them are violating the Protest Law, blocking roads, destroying a police vehicle and assaulting a police officer outside the trial.
Arrest warrants for the activists were issued on 9 December and the initial ruling on the case was announced on 2 January. The protest in question took place in Alexandria on 2 December 2013 and was allegedly organised by Said’s mother.
AFTE is an Egyptian independent human rights association established in 2006 and run by activists and professionals.
