Egyptians Held Over Islands Protest On Hunger Strike.

by PH May 23, 2016, 8:11 am

FILE -- In this April 15, 2016 file photo, Egyptians shout slogans against Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest against the decision to hand over control of two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in front of the Press Syndicate, in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads, "Egypt is not for sale." Egyptian courts on Saturday, May 14, 2016 convicted over 150 protesters for breaking a law that effectively bans demonstrations, sentencing them to up to five years in prison in quick trials that signaled President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissis resolve to suppress any dissent. The case is rooted in events on April 25 when police stifled planned demonstrations called to protest the governments surrender to Saudi Arabia of two Red Sea islands. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

Family members of Egyptians detained for planning a demonstration last month say 21 of them have started a hunger strike, protesting what they call an “unfair trial”.

Heba Mohamed, the wife of Egyptian detainee Nagi Kamel, told The Associated Press on Sunday that 10 of the 152 convicted started the hunger strike last week, with another 11 detainees joining them on Saturday. She says a new group of detainees will be joining the strike every few days.

Egyptian courts convicted 152 protesters in a single day for breaking a law that bans demonstrations, sentencing them to up to five years in prison. The 152 were convicted for demonstrations planned on April 25 to protest the government’s surrender to Saudi Arabia of two Red Sea islands.