On 21 September 2014, the Court of Appeal in Alexandria accepted the petition to quash human rights lawyer Mahienour el-Massry’s sentence. She was released the very same day.
El-Massry was sentenced on 2 January, 2014 (in her absence) to a two year prison sentence and a fine of 50.000 Egyptian pounds (about 5.000 Euros), on allegations of violating the protest law, “assaulting security forces”, and “protesting without a permit”. On 20 July 2014, her sentence was reduced to a 6 months prison sentence and a fine of 50.000 Egyptian pounds.
The sentencing referred to events occurred on 2 December 2013, when Mahienour El-Massry took part in a peaceful solidarity demonstration in front of Alexandria Criminal Court during the fourth hearing session in the case of Khaled Saeed, an activist and icon of the 25 January revolution, who was murdered by plain-clothed police officers.
On 25 June 2014, El-Massry was awarded the 19th Ludovic Trarieux human rights prize.
Lawyers for Lawyers welcomes the release of Mahienour El-Massry. L4L will continue to follow El-Massry closely.
