Egyptian court upholds 8-year sentence for Islamist Magdi Hussein

El-Sayed Gamal El-Din , Saturday 26 Mar 2016

Hussein was found guilty of using religion to promote extremist thought and harm national unity, and of spreading false news to disrupt national peace

Magdy Hussein
Magdy Hussein (Photo: Al-Ahram)

A Cairo criminal court upheld on Saturday an eight-year prison sentence against pro-Muslim Brotherhood politician Magdi Hussein, which he received over a year ago during a trial in absentia.

Hussein was among a group of ten jailed Islamist figures who prosecutors ordered to be released last week under conditions of house arrest while they await trial for various offences.

The outstanding eight-year sentence against Hussein, on charges of using religion to promote extremist thought and harm national unity, and of spreading false news to disrupt national peace, was revealed prior to his conditional release. He may yet appeal the verdict before a higher court.

Hussein has been in detention since 2014. A writer, he was head of the Islamist-oriented Istiqlal Party and a leading member of the now-banned pro-Morsi National Coalition in Support of Legitimacy.

 
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