An Egyptian court has jailed prominent blogger and pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah for five years at his retrial for violating a protest law.

He is accused of organising a demonstration in 2013 and was previously given a 15-year jail term.

Mr Abdel Fattah gained fame during the 2011 uprising as a campaigner against military trials for civilians.

Al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed also appeared in the same court on Monday for their retrial.

The men were freed on bail earlier this month after more than a year behind bars.

The retrial was adjourned after a brief hearing, and they are next due in court on 8 March.

The journalists are accused of spreading false information and of helping the banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

Australian Peter Greste, the third journalist in the case, was freed on 1 February and deported to Australia.
Court uproar

Mr Abdel Fattah was a leading secular figure in the 2011 revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak, who had ruled Egypt for almost 30 years.

The blogger and software engineer was once described by authorities as "the icon of the revolution".

He campaigned against military trials for civilians during the 17 months that generals held power after Mr Mubarak.

Mr Abdel Fattah also opposed Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi and is one of several well-known activists to have been jailed since the army ousted him from power in 2013.

The charges against Mr Abdel Fattah include organising an illegal protest and assaulting a policeman.

They stem largely from a law prohibiting protests in Egypt without prior government permission, a measure that came after Mr Morsi was overthrown.

BBC