CAIRO – Two army officers who took part in protests against Egypt’s ruling generals last year have been jailed by a military court.
Maj Ahmed Ali Shouman, who joined crowds calling for an end to military rule following the overthrow of president Hosni Mubarak, was sentenced to six years in prison. Capt Amr el Metwalli, who also participated in rallies around Cairo’s parliament and cabinet buildings at the end of last year, was jailed for five years.
Maj Shouman was charged with refusing to obey military rules and voicing political views in the media. He also took part in the uprising against Mr 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 of the ruling military council that took over from Mr Mubarak.
Capt 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 demoralise the army during the protests that left 17 dead, said the source. – (Reuters)