A Cairo court sentenced 14 people on Sunday, including two in perpetuity, for participating in violence that killed a Cairo stadium in 2015.
On February 8, 2015, at least 19 football fans died in front of a stadium in the Egyptian capital on the sidelines of a match between two local teams, including the famous Zamalek club.
In addition to the two life sentences, 12 defendants were sentenced to two to ten years’ imprisonment. They were convicted in particular of “murder”, “vandalism” and “possession of explosive devices”.
Two people were acquitted.
According to the authorities, supporters forced the entrance to the stadium, leading the security forces to use tear gas. Nineteen of them were killed as a result of the chaos created by the clashes with the police.
Among the condemned are Zamalek Ultras, supporters politically committed against the Egyptian regime and the security forces.
The accused have all attended the trial and still have the opportunity to challenge these convictions before the Egyptian Court of Cassation.
The Ultras of the club of Zamalek and Al Ahly, in particular, are severely repressed by the authorities who consider them as illegal organizations, even terrorists.
Particularly active during the 2011 revolution, groups of football fans consider on the other hand to be the target of a policy of revenge of the regime.
In February 2012, 74 people, including many supporters, died in a football stadium in Port Said after a match won by local team Al-Masry against Al-Ahly’s Cairo stars.
This disaster led the Egyptian state to forbid the public access to football matches.
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