The Tanta Misdemeanour Court sentenced Egyptian activist Ahmed Douma to 6 months in prison on Monday.

The court set bail at LE5,000.

Douma has the opportunity to appeal the sentence.



Douma's lawyer Mohamed Abdel Aziz told Ahram Online that his client is expected to be released today.

Douma, who has been detained since 30 April, was convicted on a number of charges including insulting the president and circulating false news on a television programme. He had called President Morsi a killer and a criminal, and said that he is wanted by the state.

The court found him guilty, saying that such acts would "undermine state security and terrorise people."

A protest in solidarity with Douma, a member of the Egyptian Popular Current, took place in front of New Cairo Court on Monday. Supporters of the activist chanted against the Muslim Brotherhood.



No stranger to jails

Douma, who had been an activist since the Mubarak years, had been previously arrested during the SCAF rule, in 2012, following a clash with military personnel in front of the Egyptian cabinet headquarters near Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Accused of incitement and vandalism, he was conditionally released last April pending further investigation.

On 16 March, Douma was beaten along with other activists by Brotherhood supporters while painting anti-Brotherhood graffiti outside the group's headquarters in Moqattam.

The leftist activist opted not to file a legal complaint against the Brotherhood due to his lack of trust in the justice system vowing to fight the group politically, instead.

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