Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El Fattah sentenced to 5 yrs in jail; lawyer Mohamed Baqer, Oxygen handed down 4ys each

CAIRO- 20 December 2021:  Emergency court of the Egyptian State Supreme Security, on Monday, sentenced Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abd El Fattah to five years in prison for charges of “publishing false news and disinformation, with the intent of disturbing public peace and stability.”

 

The court also sentenced two co-defendants, lawyer Mohamed Al-Baqer and Journalist Mohamed Radwan (aka Oxygen) to four years in jail for the same charges. The court ruling is unchallengeable and final.

 

Three days ago, the German Foreign Ministry released a statement, calling the Egyptian government to ensure “to ensure that Mr El-Baqer receives a fair trial and is released, along with his co-defendants Alaa Abdel Fattah and Mohamed Ibrahim.” “Lawyers must not be punished for practicing their profession,” the statement added.

 

One day later, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry responded to the German statement, voicing its rejection of recent remarks by the German government regarding an upcoming trial of a number of defendants before the Egyptian judiciary.

 

The German government’s statements on the trial in Egypt “included unacceptable, and flagrant and unjustifiable interference in the Egyptian domestic affairs,” the ministry said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry censured the German government for “demanding respect for the law while calling at the same time for interference and influencing the verdicts of the Egyptian judiciary, which is known for its independence and impartiality,” saying this represents double standards.

 

Alaa Abd El Fattah was arrested in September 2019 during rare demonstrations that were called by fugitive contractor Mohamed Ali. He was arrested few months following his release in March 2019 after serving a five-year sentence for inciting and taking part in protests. His 2019 release was conditioned by being on probation for five years.