Ahmed Douma is the first prominent critic of President Mohammed Morsi to be convicted on the charge. Activists yesterday filled the court room in a Cairo suburb, clapping and chanting: "Why is the government afraid of you Douma?" Douma was charged after he called Morsi a criminal and said he lost his legitimacy after a deadly security crackdown on protesters in the coastal city of Port Said that left 40 people dead in February.
He also criticized Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group for being behind a bloody raid against peaceful protesters outside Morsi's office last year.