Egypt acquits 52 held over April protests against president
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Egyptian court has acquitted 52 protesters charged with taking part in anti-government demonstrations in April denouncing the president's decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
The state-run MENA news agency says a Cairo Misdemeanor Court on Tuesday freed the protesters, who were among thousands that rallied on April 25 against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's decision on the islands.
Nearly 300 demonstrators were subsequently arrested. Most have been freed without charges. Others were convicted but were later acquitted or released on bail.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The April protests were the largest since the 2014 election of el-Sissi, whose government insists that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba belong to Saudi Arabia.
A law adopted in 2013 bans all unauthorized demonstrations in Egypt.