The Boulaq Al-Dakrour Misdemeanour Appeals Court acquitted political activist Hamdy Qeshta of protesting charges on Saturday.
Qeshta, who is a member of Al-Dostour party and a former member of the 6 April Youth Movement, was arrested on 25 April during a protest staged in Nahia against the recent maritime demarcation deal between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The deal looked to transfer the Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi sovereignty.
The protest had been dispersed by police forces before it had taken its scheduled route. Dozens of the arrested were given prison sentences between two and five years, and were ordered to pay exorbitant amounts of fines on charges of protesting and attempting to overthrow the regime.
Despite the release of other defendants on bail in this case, Qeshta was accused of belonging to an outlawed organisation that aims to topple the regime in another case.
He had announced last week, in a letter written from prison, that he will begin an open-ended strike, demanding his release.
