A court today upheld death sentences for 21 accused in a deadly football stadium riot last year that killed over 70 people in the city of Port Said, raising fears of renewed violence in strife-torn Egypt.
The court, sitting in Cairo amid security concerns, sentenced some of the remaining 52 defendants, including nine police officers, to prison and acquitted others but did not issue any more death sentences. The 21 football fans from Port Said’s Al-Masry club were sentenced to death in January.
Port Said’s former security chief, Essam Samak was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid sentenced five other defendants to life terms while nine beside Samak received 15 years in jail.
Six received 10 years in jail while two were jailed for five years. A single defendant got a 12-month jail term while 28 were acquitted. The 21 death sentences were first awarded on January 26. The news of the sentencing had led to a series of riots and protests in the Suez Canal city that left some 40 people dead.
At least 79 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured in clashes between rival football fans at Port Said stadium following a match between Al-Masry and Al Ahly clubs on February 1, 2012.