Three Secular Egyptian Activists Jailed

Convicted of attacking police and holding an unauthorized rally

CAIRO – Three of the most prominent secular activists involved in Egypt's 2011 revolution were convicted Sunday of holding a rally without authorization and attacking police officers, receiving three-year prison terms and hefty fines in the first use of a controversial new law.

Judge Amir Assem found Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohammed Adel, founders of the April 6 youth movement, guilty of violating the law passed last month. Each of them also faces fines of $7,250.

April 6 helped organize the demonstrations that toppled longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and, like many other liberal activists, supported this year's campaign for elected Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to leave office.