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| The Alexandria's 14 girls in the trail |
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt: The Misdemeanor Court of Appeal in Alexandria has reduced the sentencing of 14 young women Saturday, who were arrested while protesting in support of the Muslim Brotherhood, from 11 years and one month to a suspended sentence of one year, while dropping all charges against seven minor girls.
The girls, who are part of the 7 a.m. Movement, were sentenced on November 27 on charges of rioting, public disorder, blocking the public road, and terrorizing the security of citizens.
The harsh sentence caused an uproar, with local and international human rights organizations condemning the court’s decision.
Ahmed el-Hamrawy, head of the defense team, said in his defense before the Misdemeanor Appeal Court of Alexandria that the initial investigation report never mentioned that the girls possessed any weapons or that they were inciting violence against police and army.
Hamrawy added that international charts and agreements approved by Egypt do not criminalize the right of demonstrating, and that investigations of National Security affirmed that the girls’ protest began peacefully from Sidi Beshr district to Syria Street in Alexandria .
He questioned the testimonies of witnesses based on their affiliation to the police and the current regime, both of which the girls were protesting against, in addition to the differences between their testimonies given to the police and to the prosecution’s investigations.
