Egypt: Concerns for freedom of expression as activist Sanaa Seif sentenced to 18 months in prison

Mar 19, 2021 - 22:21 Updated: May 14, 2021 - 15:08

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Egypt: Concerns for freedom of expression as activist Sanaa Seif sentenced to 18 months in prison

Human rights activist and film editor Sanaa Seif was sentenced to 18 months in prison for “spreading false news”, “misusing social media”, and insulting a police officer on duty by an Egyptian court on Wednesday. The prosecutors accused her of making wrong statements about the handling of the coronavirus in Egyptian prisons. Amnesty International calls her verdict “yet another crushing blow for the right to freedom of expression in Egypt” and accuses Egyptian authorities of having “yet again demonstrated their unrelenting intent to punish any criticism of their dismal human rights record”.

Since 2014, Seif has faced conviction and sentence based on two other cases for exercising her rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Her brother, Alaa Abdel Fattah, has also been imprisoned since September 2019 following peaceful anti-government protests in 2019.

Supporters and activists are calling for Sanaa’s release using the hashtag #FreeSanaa on social media platforms. Last week, 30 countries issued a joint declaration expressing their deep concern about Egypt’s human rights situation.

Source picture: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/sanaa-seif

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