Alexandria court overturns sentence against activist Mahinour El-Masry in Red Sea islands protest case
An Alexandria appeals court overturned on Saturday a verdict that found activist and human rights lawyer Mahinour El-Masry and rights lawyer Moatasem Medhat guilty of illegally demonstrating against the Egyptian-Saudi maritime border demarcation deal last June.
On 30 December, El-Masry and Medhat were sentenced to two years in prison following their conviction. The two activists were detained in 18 November 2017.
In June, lawyers in Egypt's second-largest city organised a demonstration in front of an Alexandria court to protest a parliament debate over the border demarcation agreement, which placed the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir under Saudi control.
El-Masry previously served 15 months in prison in 2015 and 2016 for storming an Alexandria police station in 2013.
She also served four months of a six-month sentence in 2014 for illegally protesting during the retrial of the Khaled Said murder case in December 2013.
Hundreds have been tried for illegally protesting against the April 2016 Red Sea islands deal. Many have since been released after paying hefty fines.
Last June, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ratified the demarcation deal shortly after parliament approved the agreement.
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