Politician Gamila Ismail (C) speaks during a press conference of executives of the Free Current Movement in Cairo on August 28, 2023, as they respond to the detention of Hisham Kassem. On August 20, opposition activist Hisham Kassem was detained a day after being pictured alongside Ahmed Douma, a leading figure in Egypt’s 2011 uprising who had just been freed after a presidential pardon. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) The main liberal opposition political movement in Egypt has said it won’t nominate a candidate in the presidential election due next year after one of its leaders was sentenced to six months in prison.
The Free Current coalition said that Hisham Kassem had been a potential presidential candidate. He was found guilty of slander and verbally assaulting a police officer.
His supporters say the charges were politically motivated.
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is expected to announce he’s standing for a third term, but has yet to do so.
The only person to have announced his candidacy so far, Ahmed al-Tantawi, has said his team has faced increasing harassment by the security forces.
BBC/Jide Johnson.
