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               Egypt sentences 64 to prison over islands protests

   by Associated Press

   An Egyptian defense lawyer says a Cairo court has sentenced 64
   activists to two years in prison for taking part in anti-government
   protests last month.

   Mohammed Abdel-Aziz says that of the 64, 31 were sentenced in absentia.
   The sentences were issued Saturday.

   They were convicted of breaking a 2013 law that effectively bans street
   protests and disrupting traffic. Nearly 300 people have been arrested
   and charged for taking part in demonstrations on April 15 and 25
   against Egypt's surprise decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to
   Saudi Arabia.

   Abdel-Aziz, whose Al-Haqanya group represents five of the case's
   defendants, says the conviction will be appealed.

   President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has faced mounting criticism over the
   islands decision, and the protests were the largest since he was
   elected in 2014.

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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/egypt-jails-64-over-island-protest/33
   30457.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/egypt-jails-64-over-island-protest/3330457.html