Court: 11 guilty of killing protesters

CAIRO, March 20 (UPI) -- The Cairo Criminal Court Tuesday found 11 police officers guilty and three officers innocent of killing anti-government protesters in January 2011.

The verdicts for 14 police officers were the latest handed down in cases stemming from violent protests Jan. 28, 2011, the so-called "Day of Rage" in the pro-democracy uprising that demanded the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak, Ahram Online reported.

The court sentenced the 11 officers found guilty to a year in jail. The general prosecutor's office had sought the death penalty.

The defense argued that no one can prove what happened on that day because communications and power were disrupted near the police station, making it impossible to know the defendants' locations when the alleged crimes were committed, Ahram Online said.

Organizations estimate approximately 840 protesters were killed during the 18-day uprising that toppled Mubarak. Another 5,000 people were injured.