Egypt imprisons pro-democracy activist, blogger for 5 years

CAIRO, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Alaa Abdel Fattah, a pro-democracy activist and blogger, was sentenced to five years imprisonment by an Egyptian court for allegedly organizing a protest without permission and for assaulting a police officer.

Abdel Fattah is a member of the "No to Military Trials for Civilians" movement and the charges relate to a protest the group held in November 2013 demanding that a provision allowing military trials for civilians be removed from the constitution.

Abdel Fattah and 24 other members of the group were charged. The sentences of those convicted range from three to five years imprisonment.

He was previously sentenced to 15-years, but was released last year on bail pending a retrial. Charges also include acquiring weapons during a protest, illegal assembly, "blocking roads" and "attacking and injuring a public servant" and "stealing his personal wireless device."

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) recently urged Egyptian authorities to immediately release Alaa Abdel Fattah Ahmed Abdel Rahman and drop all charges against them.

"The charges against Alaa Abdel Fattah are completely unfounded as they fall under his legitimate right to freedom of assembly," FIDH President Karim Lahidji said in a statement. "The Egyptian authorities must immediately end the sanction of fundamental rights, and stop misusing the judiciary to settle political scores."

The statement also mentions violations to the right to a fair trial including violations of the right to defense and due process.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT) also called for the release of the defendants.

"We reiterate our concern about the continuing judicial harassment against Alaa Abdel Fattah in particular, who has been arbitrarily detained in numerous different cases as a result of his legitimate human rights activities," OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock said in a statement.