CAIRO: The Qasr El-Nil Misdemeanors Court on Saturday sentenced activist Ahmed Saad Abu Doma to six months in prison with an LE 300 bail, on charges of vandalism of state property and assaulting a central security officer, leaving him with bruises. Abu Doma was arrested on May 3 at a demonstration headed by Members of Parliament in Tahrir Square, to call for the annulment of the emergency law. Tens of activists gathered in front of the court on Saturday, holding placards and chanting slogans calling for Abu Doma's release. Abu Doma arrived amid heavy security. At the beginning of the session, the court turned down the defense committee's request to empty the courtroom of security officials. In his testimony, officer Hani Girguis from the Qasr El-Nil police station, said that he was present during the protest with a number of security officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Cairo Security Directorate. “We formed a security cordon as protestors chanted slogans against extending the emergency law … they incited passersby to join them in a march towards Parliament but they were prevented based on the interior minister's decision, so the protestors started swearing and insulting those present,” he said. “Suddenly, as a group of women approached security forces holding flowers, the rest of the protestors used the wooden sticks from the placards to commit acts of vandalism, and the defendant assaulted Lieutenants Ahmed Hassan and Moustafa Farouk so he was arrested,” he added. Another police officer also testified against Abu Doma, saying he assaulted Central Security officers, and hurt two police officers. The defense committee denied the accusations against Abu Doma, saying the witnesses testimonies contradicted with their statements to the prosecution. They also said that there was no evidence of vandalism. “We will pay Abu Doma's bail and we will appeal the verdict before the highest court,” Afifi Abdel Maqsoud, a member of the defense committee, told Daily News Egypt.
