Retrial of police officer in Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh’s case postponed

Amira El-Fekki
1 Min Read
The family of killed activist Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh felt compassion for the family of convicted 24-year-old police officer Yassin Salah. (Photo by Ahmed Abdeen)

A retrial session for a police officer previously convicted of killing political activist Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh was postponed until 19 February.

The court had heard the testimony of the head of the Forensic Medicine Authority Hisham Abdul Hamid, who had previously confirmed Al-Sabbagh died as a result of a bullet wound in the neck.

Officer Yassin Salah of the Central Security Forces was found guilty of unjustifiably using violence against Al-Sabbagh and her colleagues during a peaceful limited rally held near Tahrir Square on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution in 2015.

Salah was sentenced to 15 years in prison in June 2015. Video footage and photographs taken by journalists contributed to his indictment, after the Ministry of Interior denied using force while dealing with the protesters. He was granted a retrial which commenced in October 2016.

The death of Al-Sabbagh, a member of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, sparked local and international controversy over police brutality and the Protest Law.

 

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Journalist in DNE's politics section, focusing on human rights, laws and legislations, press freedom, among other local political issues.
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