CAIRO (Sputnik) — Egypt redrew maritime borders in April to give Saudi Arabia the sovereignty of the Tiran and Sanafir islands, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets in central Cairo on April 25.
Last Saturday, an Egyptian court sentenced 51 people to two-year jail terms with hard labor for anti-government protests. The majority appealed the verdict.
A court in the Egyptian capital ordered the release of 47 more protesters last week after they were sentenced to the maximum five years in prison for demonstrating.
Egypt has been in control of the Tiran and Sanafir at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba for over 60 years. The islands could be potentially used to build a bridge across the Red Sea.
