Egypt court upholds sentence for 3 activists

An Egyptian appeals court has upheld convictions and three—year sentences for three prominent activists.

The three Ahmed Maher, Mohammed Adel and Ahmed Douma were accused of violating a controversial new law on holding protests and were sentenced each to three years in prison in December.

The law imposes strict restrictions on any public gatherings.

The court also ruled on Monday that each would be fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds (about $7,140).

The ruling is part of a crackdown by Egypt’s military—backed government against the leaders of the 2011 uprising that toppled the regime of autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

That crackdown goes in tandem with another campaign by authorities against the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists loyal to ousted President Mohamed Morsy, who was removed by the military last July.