August 4, 2017
Egypt court sentences 50 cops to 3 years over strike
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — An Egyptian court has sentenced 50 policemen in southern Sinai p eninsula to three years in prison and fined them up to 6,000 Egyptian pounds (US$350) after they protested changes to their working days.
The South Sinai Criminal Court issued its decision yesterday and Judge Mohammed Qunsawa also fired 40 of the policemen.
The low-ranking policemen organised a strike in January to protest an Interior Ministry decision changing their annual leave and working days. They used to work 15 days and take 15 days off. After the decision, they will be working 20 days and taking 10 days off.
The verdict can be appealed. It is one of the largest numbers of policemen to be tried at once in Egypt.