Muslim Brotherhood supporters among 112 acquitted in Egypt

On Sunday, an appeals court acquitted 112 people, including Muslim Brotherhood supporters, out of the 1,079 arrested during the crackdown on nationwide protests on January 25.

At least 49 people were killed after security forces clashed with demonstrators on that day.

The 112 had originally been given one-year jail terms by a lower court.

The demonstrators had been charged with breaking protest laws, illegal gathering, stirring violence, blocking roads, assaulting police officers, and vandalizing public and private property.

Last November, Egypt placed more restriction on demonstrations by adopting new laws that only allow police-sanctioned protests.

On Saturday, a different court in the capital Cairo postponed Mubarak’s verdict to November 29.

Egypt has been experiencing unrelenting violence since Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically-elected president, was ousted on July 3, 2013. Hundreds lost their lives in the ensuing violence across the country.

Egypt’s military-backed government launched a bloody crackdown on Morsi’s supporters and arrested thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members, including the party’s senior leaders.

The Egyptians launched a revolution against Mubarak’s pro-Israeli regime in January 2011, which eventually brought an end to the 30-year dictatorship of the former president in February 2011.

HK