The North Giza Appeal Court rejected on Thursday a request from the lawyers of defendants who were sentenced to EGP 100,000 each over illegal protesting to pay in instalments.
Defense lawyer Abdelrahman Khogaly told Daily News Egypt that the court rejected the request, which means defendants can only be released if they pay the whole sum at once or serve a three-month penalty sentence for not paying the hefty fine.
The Dokki and Agouza Misdemeanor Appeal Court abolished on Tuesday the five-year prison sentence handed to 47 protesters that had been charged with illegally demonstrating in anti-government protests on 25 April.
The court, however, ordered a total fine of EGP 4.7m, which amounts to EGP 100,000 per detainee, against the 47 protesters.
Following the Tuesday ruling, the remaining 54 defendants, who were previously released pending trial, are expected to also appeal against their sentences.
The nationwide 25 April protests that objected to the maritime demarcation agreement that would see the transfer of sovereignty of Sanafir and Tiran islands to Saudi Arabia were met with a strong security response and were followed by the arbitrary arrest of bystanders without any investigation, according to numerous testimonies.
