A Heliopolis misdemeanour court sentenced Sunday 16 Morsi supporters to three years in prison for attending an illegal protest.
According to state-run Al-Ahram, the protesters were charged with rioting, protesting without a permit, and obstructing the national referendum on the constitution, which took place on 14 and 15 January.
One defendant was acquitted in the case.
The first hearing of a trial featuring several prominent activists arrested during a Heliopolis march demanding an end to the Protest Law on 21 June was also held on Sunday.
The Protest Law has come under fire recently from both activists, national and international rights groups and foreign governments. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said last week that the law, used to jail prominent activists, needs to be reviewed and revised.
“The Secretary-General notes that the constitutionality of the law regulating protest will be reviewed by the Supreme Constitutional Court,” a statement released on Monday read, “He recalls that both he and the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concerns that the law could lead to serious breaches of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and needed to be brought in conformity with Egypt’s international human rights obligations.”
