Prison sentence of six months for Egyptian opposition figure Hisham Kassem

An Egyptian court issued a verdict on Saturday, sentencing publisher Hisham Kassem, the leading official with the Free Current, to six months in prison with immediate effect. This effectively prevents him from participating in the presidential election campaign scheduled for the spring, according to his lawyer. 

Hisham Kassem was sentenced to "three months in prison and fined 20,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately 600 euros)" on charges of "insult and defamation" of a former minister, and "another three months in prison on charges of insulting" a public servant, as reported by "X" platform's Gameela Ismail, a member of the Free Current.  

His lawyer, Nasser Amin, stated on Facebook that the verdicts have been appealed, and the hearing is scheduled for October 7. 

AFP