The Court of Cassation on Wednesday upheld a court ruling sentencing 27 police officers in South Sinai to three years in prison and cancelled a LE 6,000 fine over charges of protesting and going on strike.
The court acquitted 13 other defendants in the same case.
Forty defendants challenged the ruling before the Court of Cassation.
The incident dates back to January 9 and 10, when 50 policemen in different sectors of South Sinai protested the Interior Ministry’s decision to reduce vacation days to 10 days a month instead of 15 days.
Prosecutors accused the defendants of suspending work, inciting their colleagues to strike, showing off force, and destroying property, and referred them to the criminal court.
The Criminal Court of South Sinai, headed by Judge Mohamed Qonsowa, had sentenced the 50 policemen to three-year rigorous imprisonment, a fine of LE6,000, and dismissal from their positions.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
