Cairo, Egypt – A prominent Egyptian opposition figure, Ahmed Tantawy, was sentenced to one year in prison with labor on Monday. Tantawy, who challenged President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in last year’s election, was convicted of forging election documents and barred from running in future elections for five years.
Tantawy’s lawyer, Khaled Ali, said authorities accused him of wrongdoing after his campaign distributed its own endorsement forms. Tantawy had claimed state-linked groups hindered his efforts to gather the required number of public endorsements, leading to the arrest of dozens of his allies and family members.
This verdict comes after a lower court found Tantawy guilty in February and issued a suspended sentence, which was ultimately overturned on appeal. Tantawy was taken into custody after the ruling and transferred to prison, joining over 20 campaign members who received similar sentences.
Rasha Qandeel, Tantawy’s wife and spokesperson, condemned the decision as “political liquidation” targeting Tantawy himself. Ali confirmed Tantawy’s right to appeal, although the process could take up to two months to initiate.
Sisi, who secured a near 90% victory in the December election, will remain in power for a third term until 2030. Human rights groups estimate tens of thousands face imprisonment in Egypt for political dissent under Sisi, a claim Egyptian authorities deny.
