An Egyptian court has upheld a one-year prison sentence with labour against former presidential candidate Ahmed Tantawy and his campaign manager, Mohamed Abou El-Diar, over allegations of forging election documents, according to Tantawy’s legal team.
Ahmed Tantawy, who emerged as the most prominent challenger to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during last year’s election, suspended his campaign after reporting widespread harassment. He claimed that the arrests of dozens of allies and family members obstructed his ability to secure the public endorsements required to appear on the ballot.
President Al-Sisi ultimately secured a third term with 89.6 per cent of the vote, according to official results.
Egyptian authorities accused Tantawy’s campaign of distributing unauthorised copies of endorsement forms to gather public support, an allegation that led to his conviction. The court’s original ruling, issued in May and upheld on Monday by the Misdemeanour Appeals Court, not only sentences Tantawy to prison but also bars him from running for office for five years. Additionally, he has been fined 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($395).
Khaled Ali, a renowned human rights lawyer and part of Tantawy’s defence team, criticised the appeal process, alleging significant irregularities. In a Facebook post, Ali stated that lawyers faced months of difficulty confirming court dates, while hearings were reportedly absent from official schedules and case files went missing from registries.
The public prosecution has not commented on either the ruling or the allegations of procedural irregularities.
Ahmed Tantawy’s bid for the presidency drew attention as a rare instance of political opposition in Egypt’s tightly controlled political environment. Critics have accused the government of stifling dissent and using legal measures to sideline potential challengers. Tantawy’s case has drawn concern from human rights groups advocating for greater political freedoms in the country.
