The Giza Appeal Court on Tuesday postponed the verdict on Magdy Hussien, head of the Istiqlal party and editor-in-chief of Al-Shaab newspaper, on his eight year sentence in prison on charges of spreading extremist ideas and false news to 7 June.
The party’s media office previously said that Hussien was convicted of two charges with two sentences. “The first was spreading misinterpretation of the Quran and spreading extremist ideas for which he received five years. Another is spreading false news that aims to disturb societal peace, for which he received three years,” said the office.
Hussien was acquitted last week on charges of inciting violence and planning to topple the regime, along with nine other leading members of the Anti-Coup Alliance (ACA).
The Istiqlal Party was ordered to be dissolved by a Cairo court in 2014. The party has been a vital player in the Islamist pro-Morsi ACA, acting as a strong vocal opponent to the current government and to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Almost all Islamist parties, with the exception of the Al-Nour Party, came under the umbrella of the ACA to support ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Government authorities launched a crackdown on Islamist organisations following Morsi’s ouster in 2013. The Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), was ordered dissolved in 2014.
