Egypt sentences six-year-old child to prison

An Egyptian court sentenced a six-year-old boy to six months in prison after convicting him of “attacking the authorities”, according to the London-based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi.

Abu al-Hassan Sabri, the father of six-year-old Mohammed, was surprised to receive a phone call from his hometown saying that his son was facing jail time.

Sabri told Al-Quds al-Arabi that he thought the caller was joking, but later described feeling shocked and horrified at the accusations, according to the newspaper.

The case against Sabri’s son dates back to last October, when police attempted to arrest a wanted person. The police have accused 29 people, including six-year-old Mohammed, of attacking them during the attempted arrest.

The courts later tried all of them in absentia and handed out guilty verdicts against ten of the 29, Mohammed included.

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