The North Cairo Criminal Court has sentenced Hazem Salah abu Ismail, founder of Salafi Raya Party, and 17 others to prison for inciting the mobbing of Nasr City Court under the rule of former president Mohamed Morsi.
Abu Ismail and five others were sentenced to five years in prison, while the rest were handed a 10-year sentence.
The suspects involved in the case are Hazem abu Ismail, Ismail abdel Salam Ismail, known as al-Weshahy, Islam Hesham Mahmoud, Mohamed Aziz abdel Hakim, and Sayyed Mahmoud Gaballah abdel Ghany who are all imprisoned. However, also involved in the case are the following fugitives: Mamdouh Ahmed Ismail, Abdel Rahman Ezz Eddin Imam, Abdel Halim Rashad Ahmed, Islam Yakan Ali Khamees, Mostafa Hany abdel Bary, Ali Ahmed abdel Salam Mansour, Sherif Mohsen Youssef, Ahmed Rafaat Mohamed Galal, Abdullah Omar abdel Aziz, Khaled Ahmed abdel Salam Gaballah, Islam Ahmed abdel Salam Mansour, Ahmed Samir Ibrahim Mohamed, and Islam Rashan Ahmed Mohamed.
The prosecution accused the suspects of inciting the mobbing of Nasr City Court, using force and violence against prosecution members as well as attempting to prevent them from doing their jobs, and forcing them to order the release of suspect Ahmed Mohamed Arafa, who was released on December 19, 2012.
The incidents occurred in December 2012 when security forces arrested Arafa, who founded the Hazemoun campaign and a member of the Ahrar movement. He is currently serving a life sentence. A group of people protested around the court against his detention and demanded his release.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
