Yesterday, Wednesday, the Cairo Criminal Court's decision to imprison human rights activist Sana Seif for 18 months on charges of broadcasting and publishing false news sparked anger and condemnation of activists on social media platforms, as Amnesty International described it as "another crushing blow to the right to freedom of expression in Egypt."

The hashtag # Sana_Saif appeared on the list of the most traded on Twitter in Egypt, where activists directed widespread criticism of the judiciary, stressing that this ruling is a new stigma under the umbrella of the Sisi regime.

Lawyer and human rights activist Mahmoud Refaat commented in his tweet, saying: "The sentencing of the activist # Sana_Saif to one and a half years in prison for spreading false news, a new stain on the forehead of the Egyptian judiciary and demolishing the name of Egypt."

The judiciary in any country resembles its political system, two sides of the same coin # FreeSanaa

- Jamal Sultan (@ GamalSultan1) March 17, 2021

Human rights defender Bahey El Din Hassan said in another tweet: "Al-Sisi does not miss a single opportunity to prove to the Egyptians and the world that there is no hope for him."

Meanwhile, journalist Ahmed Rajab wrote: "Every officer in the country can imprison any person who is not seen (with no visible) in the Interior Ministry, the prosecution office, or the army at any time he wants, this is not a state."

Sanaa did not originally come out in the courtroom or the cage, the judge said the verdict and he got up and walked, and we started trying to understand Sanaa, where did I know the ruling or not

We saw her and the deportation car was cattle. We reached her and checked on her

A hideous country, Egypt, kidnapped my sisters' Omar in their rotten prisons #FreeSanaa #FreeAlaa

- Mona Seif (@Monasosh) March 17, 2021

Rights groups say that Sanaa was detained in June 2020 outside the Attorney General's office, while she was trying to file a complaint about the abuse of her and her mother while they were demanding to communicate with Sana's imprisoned brother Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of the most famous activists in Egypt.

Her family also participated with activists who launched a campaign on social media, calling for the release of some detainees, amid fears of the spread of the new Corona virus in prisons.

The sentencing of the activist, Sanaa Seif, to one and a half years in prison for spreading false news and a new stigma in the face of the Egyptian judiciary and demolishing the name of # Egypt. May God destroy you, those who destroy Egypt pic.twitter.com/isZoGFcQ8H

- Mahmoud Refaat (@DrMahmoudRefaat) March 17, 2021

The authorities arrested 3 other members of her family for a short period in March 2020, after they protested the same case.

Judicial sources stated that a criminal court in Cairo condemned Sanaa Seif for publishing and broadcasting false news, which may cause panic and false allegations about the spread of the Corona virus in prisons, and the misuse of social networking sites, and they added that Sanaa has the right to appeal the verdict within 60 days.

Amnesty International described Sanaa's sentence as "yet another crushing blow to the right to freedom of expression in Egypt."

Every officer in the country can imprison any person who is not clear in the Interior Ministry, the prosecution office, or the army at any time he wants.

This is not a country.

#Saif_Saif

- Ahmed Ragab (@Ragab) March 17, 2021

"The Egyptian authorities have arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned her on fabricated charges, only because of her peaceful criticism," the organization said in a statement.

The authorities arrested her brother Alaa Abdel Fattah - a prominent activist in the uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 - in September 2019, only 6 months after his release, after he had served a 5-year prison sentence.

On Friday, Western countries called on Egypt to put an end to the prosecution of activists, journalists and those they consider political opponents under anti-terrorism laws, and urged Cairo to release them unconditionally.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "extremely surprised and condemned" the statement, which it said contained information "sent inaccurate."