Former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi, founder of the Popular Trend, expressed full solidarity with political prisoners, whatever their affiliations, as long as they are unaffiliated with terrorism and stage sabotage.
At a news conference in his hometown of Baltim, Kafr al-Sheikh on Monday evening, Sabbahi called on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to use his power and release such prisoners as long as their hands are not stained with blood.
“Egypt cannot have political prisoners detained or on pre-trial detention after the revolutions of 25 January and 30 June where the people revolted against tyranny and oppression,” he said.
He said political activists Ahmed Doma and Alaa Abdel Fattah, who are on hunger strike, should not be kept in prison simply for expressing their objection to the protests. “This is in violation of the Constitution and of freedoms,” he said. “We are not concerned with affiliation, but rather with the right to peaceful expression away from violence and terrorism.”
Meanwhile, dozens of the Popular Trend members on Tuesday went on hunger strike in solidarity with the detained activists.
Popular Trend member Amaly Mohamed said the hunger strike was called for by the Constitution Party, the Karama Party and the Popular Socialist Alliance.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
