Egyptian opposition figure and publisher Hisham Kassem was sentenced Wednesday by a Cairo economic court to six months in prison with labor and a fine in a new case initiated by former Minister of Manpower Nahed Ashry, according to his lawyer speaking to Al Manassa.
The verdict was delivered in absentia, with the court finding Kassem guilty of insulting and disturbing Ashry, according to his lawyer, human rights advocate Nasser Amin.
In addition to the fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds (about $399), Kassem was also required by the court to pay 40,000 pounds (around $798) in temporary civil compensation to Ashry. The court set bail at 5,000 pounds (around $100), allowing a suspension of the sentence pending appeal.
This is the second time Kassem has been sentenced over remarks involving former officials. In September 2023, the same court handed him a six-month sentence for "defaming former Minister of Manpower Kamal Abu Eita and verbally assaulting police officers at Sayyida Zeinab police station."
In the latest case, the Economic Affairs Prosecution referred Kassem to trial on March 30, accusing him of defaming El-Ashry in a Facebook post in which he claimed she had embezzled public funds during her time in office.
The case drew criticism from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which condemned the prosecution, describing it as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated legal action. The group noted that this is the second time Kassem has been tried over similar claims, which had already led to a previous prison sentence.
Speaking to Al Manassa at the time of his referral, Kassem said he had not received official notification about the case. "If there's a trial, the state should inform me. Unless this is a deliberate attempt to try me in absentia," he said. He added that a previous encounter with the prosecution had been negative.
Kassem denied insulting Ashry. "I didn’t accuse her of anything," he said. "I mentioned her name while discussing Kamal Abu Eita. I posted earlier that Abu Eita had been named as a defendant in a case registered under her name and others. That’s a case already in the prosecutor's office and has been covered in the media many times."
His lawyer, Amin, said that Kassem’s posts about both El-Ashry and Abu Eita do not warrant imprisonment, and confirmed that the legal team is considering an appeal.
In connection with the case, Kassem announced in February that he had left Egypt and would not return until the current political regime changes. From abroad, he intends to establish a new opposition party, "Al Nida' Al Hur" (The Free Call).
Tensions between Kassem and Abu Eita date back to July 2023, when the former minister accused Kassem of promoting a foreign agenda within the Free Liberal Current, a political movement Kassem co-founded.
In response, Kassem wrote on Facebook: "The General Department of Public Funds Investigations had previously listed Abu Eita, the first Minister of Manpower after the events of June 30, among the defendants in the largest public embezzlement case."
Following that post, Abu Eita vowed to pursue legal action. Security services gave the complaint significant attention, swiftly concluding investigations and preparing the technical reports needed to advance the case.
