An Upper Egyptian court Saturday sentenced a member of parliament and six of his supporters to terms raning between two and one month in jail for their part in attacking a police station earlier in the year. The Qena Court of Cassation found Mohamed Mandour, a member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and six of his supporters guilty of a range of offences including arson, destruction of public property and possessing weapons. Mandour, accompanied by 300 supporters and family members, assaulted the Deshna Police Station to release one of his relatives, who had been detained on criminal charge. The MP, who received the two-month sentence, was convicted of attacking the police, while those defendants who were jailed to one month faced lesser charges of illegal assembly, they added. However, the court ruled that the seven defendants could be released after posting bails ranging from LE300 to LE1,000, the sources said.
