Ahmed Konsowa was given the
jail term for “stating political opinions contrary to the requirements of
military order”, his lawyer Asaad Heikal said.
An Egyptian military court
sentenced a colonel to six years in prison on Tuesday after he announced plans
to stand in the 2018 presidential election, his lawyer said.
The colonel had announced
he would be a candidate for president in video messages and a statement on
Facebook on November 29.
He was also accused of
“appearing on the social network website Facebook in military uniform, contrary
to the requirements of military order,” Heikal said.
The 42-year-old has been in
custody since his arrest on December 2 as military prosecutors investigated the
case, Heikal said.
On Tuesday, the lawyer said
he will appeal the verdict.
In his videos, and without
mentioning President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi by name, Konsowa criticised Egypt’s
policies in education, health and the economy.
Heikal has said Konsowa
followed Sisi’s example in announcing his candidacy. Sisi was in uniform when
he did so, before later resigning as defence minister.
Sisi was elected president
in 2014, a year after leading the military’s ouster of his Islamist predecessor
Mohamed Morsi amid mass protests against his year-long rule.
Sisi is certain to stand
next year, although he has yet to formally announce his candidacy. (Aljazeera)
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