1 January 2018: the West Cairo Military Court sentenced one person to death and four others to life in prison in relation to an attack on the Embassy of Niger in Giza in July 2015, in which one policeman was killed. The court sentenced 12 other defendants to 10 years in prison and 13 others to three years imprisonment. Defendants in the case faced a number of charges, including murder, joining a terrorist organization, plotting to overthrow the regime and weapons possession.

After the court recommended that they be sentenced to death last month, the files of defendants Mohamed Hendawy and Sara Abdallah were referred to the grand mufti — the country’s chief religious cleric — who issues non-binding opinions on whether or not executions should be carried out.

However, only Hendawy was sentenced to death on Monday, while Abdalla was sentenced to life in prison along with three others. Her sister, Rana Abdalla, who is also a defendant in the case, was sentenced to three years in prison. (Source: Mada Masr Press Articles)