Egyptians detained over islands protest start hunger strike

Over a dozen Egyptians detained for planning a demonstration last month have gone on hunger strike in protest at what they describe as their "unfair trial," their family members said on Sunday.

Of the 152 detained, 10 went on hunger strike last week and another 11 joined them on Saturday, Heba Mohamed, the wife of Egyptian detainee Nagi Kamel, told The Associated Press. A new group of detainees will be joining the strike every few days, she said.

Three of the hunger strikers were moved to hospital on Saturday according to Misr Abdel-Wahed, a sister of one of them.

"They took extreme measures by going on hunger strike without the availability of proper health care," said lawyer Mokhtar Mounir, adding that this was the only way they could express their opposition to the trials.

The 152 were convicted for demonstrations planned on April 25 to protest the government's surrender to Saudi Arabia of two Red Sea islands.

All 152 were convicted on a single day, in three mass hearings, for breaking a law that effectively bans demonstrations. Some were sentenced to up to five years in prison.

It is not uncommon for Egyptian courts to convict large numbers of defendants in mass trials.

Egypt handed over the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia in a deal announced in April. The move has been criticised by many as being illegal.

Public anger towards the deal has been so large that even several pro-government talk show hosts have condemned it.

The surprise move to give the uninhabited islands to Saudi Arabia has prompted rare criticism of Sisi by Egyptians who see the transfer as an affront to national pride.

An Egyptian official told The New Arab that President Sisi consulted Mubarak before making the deal.

"Sisi sent a high-ranking official to the ousted president to get his opinion on the transfer, while he was in office he recognised that Saudi had leased them to Egypt in 1950," the unnamed source said.

"Mubarak advised him not to hand over the islands because the current climate was not conducive for such a decision," he added.