A Cairo court on Monday sentenced 82 students – described as supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi – to five years in prison and fines of LE100,000 for illegal protesting.

The sentenced protesters were arrested in January and December during demonstrations at Al-Azhar University – the scene of recurrent student-led demonstrations, largely in favour of the ousted Islamist president, since August of last year.

Hundreds of protesters have been handed similar sentences since the passing of a strict protest law last November.