Egypt court sentences presidential hopeful to 6 years

CAIRO – An Egyptian lawyer says a military court has sentenced an army colonel to six years in prison after he announced his intention to run against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in next year's elections.

The lawyer, Asaad Heikal, told The Associated Press that Col. Ahmed Konsowa was present at Tuesday's sentencing hearing by a Cairo military court. He was convicted of violating military regulations banning political activism by active duty officers.

The verdict can be appealed.

Konsowa, 42, was detained following his Dec. 2 announcement that he would run against el-Sissi, a general-turned-president who took office in 2014.