Egyptian court acquits 17 charged for protest where activist was killed
CAIRO - An Egyptian court on Saturday acquitted 17 people of charges related to a street protest earlier this year, judicial sources said, a rare decision since Egypt introduced a strict protest law in late 2013.The demonstration in January, a march marking the anniversary of the uprising against veteran ruler Hosni Mubarak in 2011, caught the world@@@s attention after the shooting death of 32-year-old protester Shaimaa Sabbagh was caught on video.The public prosecutor has charged a police officer who allegedly fired birdshot to try to disperse the protest.Defence lawyer Sayed Abu el-Ila, who was photographed with Sabbagh dying in his arms, told Reuters this was the first acquittal since the protest law came into force in 2013.The statute curtailed demonstrations, a regular feature of the turbulent years since Mubarak@@@s overthrow, and has landed many of the leaders of that initial uprising behind bars."I am not pleased by an acquittal at the expense of Shaimaa@@@s blood," Abu el-Ila told reporters. "Shaimaa sacrificed her life to oppose an unjust law, and the law is still in place."ByREUTERS06/08/2025 07:57 AMByREUTERS06/08/2025 05:36 AMByMAARIV06/07/2025 02:33 PMByWALLA!06/07/2025 11:18 AMByREUTERS06/07/2025 03:25 AM
