CAIRO: Two army officers who took part in protests against Egypt's ruling generals last year have been jailed by a military court. Major Ahmed Ali Shouman, joined the demonstrations calling for an end to military rule following the overthrow of president Hosni Mubarak. Resultantly, he was sentenced to six years in prison for that action. Captain Amr el Metwalli, who also took part in demonstrations outside Cairo's parliament and cabinet buildings, was jailed for five years. “Ahmed Shouman was sentenced to six years in jail, charged with refusing to obey military rules and voicing political views in media outlets.” This was according to a military source that spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to Bikyamasr.com. “This was a violation of martial law that bans military personnel from communicating with the media,” the source said. Apparently, the sentence will be announced formally at a court hearing on April 11. Shouman also took part in the uprising against Mubarak that started in Cairo's Tahrir Square in January last year. He was pardoned for participating in those protests by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the head the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), who took over from Mubarak. But the latest charges related to his decision to return to the square to join crowds calling for the ruling generals to hand over power to civilians. El Metwalli, still in his first year of service, was accused of disobeying orders, abandoning his unit, wearing army fatigues outside his unit and publishing material on the Internet that would demoralize the army during the protests that left 17 dead, said the source. The military council, which took over from Mubarak in February last year, has said it will hand over to civilians on June 30th, if the new constitution is ready or not. The presidential elections in Egypt are scheduled for the end of May, with run-offs, if necessary, at the beginning of June.
