Douma fined LE 10K in retrial hearing

CAIRO – 24 February 2018: Maadi Misdemeanor Court ruled on Saturday to fine political activist Ahmed Douma LE 10,000 ($17.7) during his retrial over accusations of insulting the judiciary.

Douma was accused of the charge in December 9, 2014 during his trial in the case known in the media as “Cabinet Clashes” that took place in 2011. He was sentenced to three years in prison and LE 10,000 fine, but the Cassation Court approved a challenge submitted by Douma against his prison term. He was thus ordered a retrial.

Overview of Cabinet Clashes case

In December 2011, security forces dispersed a three-week sit-in at the Cabinet building which caused clashes at the area surrounding the cabinet and Shura council, and led to the burning of the Scientific Institute.

Douma, who played a key role in the 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak, along with 268 other defendants were convicted of the following charges: attacking the Cabinet's building, attacking security personnel, and the Scientific Institute; protesting; possession of weapons and Molotov cocktails; and assaulting members of the armed forces and police.

Consequently, he was handed a life sentence and a LE 17 million fine in February 2015.

Upon hearing the verdict, Douma clapped his hands, saying that he is happy with the verdict. Hence, the judge sentenced him to three more years in prison.

He also received a three-year-sentence in two separate cases; the first for staging protests in January 2015 without a permit, violating Egypt’s protest law, and the second for insulting and criticizing the judiciary in 2014.

During his trial in December 2014, Douma accused the judge presiding over his case of publishing extreme political views on his Facebook account, violating the law that bans judges from publicly expressing political views. He was thus handed three years in prison and a fine of LE 10,000.

Douma was one of 231 defendants who were sentenced to life; however, Douma is the only one who appealed the sentence.

He also appealed against the three-year-sentence he received for insulting the judiciary during one of his sessions in the "Cabinet clashes" case.

On January 3, 2018, Douma denied all charges; on February 18, the court showed a video proving that he burned public premises, including the headquarters of the Cabinet, Parliament, Al-Shura Council, and Ministry of Interior.