Two-time presidential candidate says Egypt losing its role in region
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate and head of the Egyptian Popular Current, speaks about his decision to stage a sit-in and his views on the political situation in the country.
On May 17, former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi decided to stage a sit-in at the Karama Party headquarters in Cairo against the border demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, under which Egypt transferred ownership of the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia. The sit-in was also held to protest against the decision to imprison 101 demonstrators for five years and 51 other demonstrators for two years for participating in the April 25 demonstrations against the transfer decision.
On May 24, the Court of Appeal revoked the decision to imprison the 101 demonstrators and imposed a fine on them instead. The rest of the protesters have yet to be released.
