Ahmed Doma was sentenced to life in prison by the Cairo Criminal Court Wednesday, for charges dating from 2011, in what is known as the Cabinet clashes.
He and other 229 defendants were given life sentence in Prison while 39 minors were sentenced to 10 years in the same case.
The court, presided by Judge Nagy Shehata, also ordered Doma and the others to pay a total fine of 17 million EGP ($2.5m.)
The verdict is not final and can be appealed.
According to Youm7, Doma attended Wednesday’s hearing session and told the judge that he did not burn the Scientific Institute in downtown Cairo, which was torched in 2011 incidents.
As quoted by Youm7, Doma added that reports were filed against a group of people who were seen at the building rooftop and were filmed by citizens, saying that none of them were investigated in the incidents.
Youm7 reported that a lawyer attended the hearing, despite a November 2014 decision by the Lawyers’ Syndicate to ban assigning defense to the case, which is presided in by Judge Shehata. The statement reasoned the decision due to what it said as “predominance of the court and its precedence over the defense’s right.”
There have also been several disputes between Doma and his defense team with the court. In September 2014, the court refused Doma’s request to change judges.
The prosecution previously accused the 268 defendants of charges of gathering and possession of weapons, assaulting police personnel, burning the Scientific Institute and attacking governmental buildings.
Doma alongside two activists of April 6 Youth Movement were previously sentenced to three years in prison over demonstrating against 2013 Protest Law. Latest reports on Doma’s health status say it is stable, after he suffered severe health problems and stomach ulcer.
