Egyptian actor sentenced in abstentia

An Egyptian actor known for his criticism of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's Government said a military court has sentenced him in absentia to eight years in prison in two separate cases. Amr Waked, a 45-year-old actor living in Spain, said his lawyer told him he was convicted of ‘disseminating false news and insulting state institutions’. A report on the News24 site notes that Malek Adly said his client received a three-year sentence in one case and a five-year term in the other. He said he has asked authorities for more details, so he could appeal the verdicts. The report notes that Waked is a UN goodwill ambassador and is internationally known for his roles in movies like the 2005 thriller Syriana with George Clooney.

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