Political activists have launched a social network campaign to demand the release of activist Alaa Abd El Fattah and three others sentenced over clashes with security forces in late 2013.
"Free Shura Case Detainees" has emerged as the title for the Facebook campaign calling for the release of Alaa, who was sentenced to five years in prison and fined LE100,000, and three others who were accused of rioting, illegal protesting and assaulting security outside Egypt’s Shura Council following a protest condemning Article 198 of the constitution, which allows for civilians to be put on military trials.
The protest was organized by "No Military Trials for Civilians", a campaign that was launched by Alaa's sister, Mona Seif.
Twenty-one others were sentenced in the same case, but 18 received a presidential pardon and were released in September.
The campaign marks the passing of one year in prison for the detainees.
A number of celebrities and activitis have voiced solidarity with the campaign through the #FreeAlaa Twitter hashtag.
Egypt’s most-celebrated comic show host Bassem Youssef put the campaign’s slogan as his profile picture. “One year in prison, and the same for too many others,” Youssef tweeted.
“Alaa resisted the Mubarak regime in a time when his captors used to perform a military salute to Mubarak…Demand freedom for Alaa and all prisoners of conscience in Egypt,” tweeted Gamal Eid, director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information.
“How could President Sisi talk about democracy while Alaa Abd El Fatah and his comrades are in prison because they wanted Egypt to be free?" novelist Alaa AlAswany tweeted.
The other convicts in the Shubra case include Abdelrahman Tarek “Mokka” and Abdelrahman Sayyed “Kouji”, who are both serving three years, and Ahmed Abdel Rahman, who is serving five years.
