Supporters and opponents of Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi clash in Alexandria, Egypt, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. (Photo: AP)
An Alexandria juvenile misdemeanour appeal court ordered Saturday the release of 78 minors who have spent months in jail for illegal protesting and rioting, their lawyer Hani Helal told Ahram Online.
Lawyers of the minors, whose ages range from 15 to 17 years, had filed an appeal against two to five years jail terms received by the minors.
The court did not commute the sentences but chose to set the minors free on a 3-month parole basis.
The minors were initially sentenced to jail for illegal protesting, rioting and belonging to a terrorist group.
The youth were arrested in demonstrations in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria soon after the 14 August 2013 dispersal of the two largest pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo, in Rabaa and Nahda squares.
Egypt passed a controversial protest law in November 2013 which bans unauthorised demonstrations.
Thousands have been arrested under its provisions, from Brotherhood members to secular activists.
The Muslim Brotherhood, from which former president Mohamed Morsi hails, was labelled a terrorist organisation by Egypt's authorities last year.
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