"Down with oppression!  Down with military rule!"  These were the words uttered inside the courtroom as a verdict was announced today in the retrial of a prominent Egyptian blogger.

The court has sentenced activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah of up to five years in prison for allegedly organizing unauthorized protests.  He was previously given a 15-year jail term.

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Fattah, a known critic of the government, was accused of arranging demonstrations on November 26, 2013 without government's permission. 

The anti-government rallies were in protest of a law that allows civilians caught vandalizing public property to be tried in a military court.

As the verdict was read, Abdel-Fattah's family and friends turned emotional and screamed: "Down with military rule!" Police immediately ordered everyone to leave the courtroom to put things back in order.

Defense lawyer Mohammed Abdel-Aziz called the verdict as "harsh and oppressive", saying the court ignored evidence that showed the defendant's innocence.

Taher Abou el-Nasr, a human rights lawyer, had expected the verdict and said an acquittal is even more far-fetched.

Defense lawyers plan to appeal the ruling before the Egypt's Court of Cassation, the country's highest appellate court.

Abdel-Fattah rose to fame during the 2011 uprising that ousted former leader Hosni Mubarak.  He was also critical of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, who was overthrown in 2013.

Mona Seif, Abdel-Fattah's sister, who also participated in the November 26 protest, admitted her brother attended the rallies but denied he organized it.

Protesters including Seif were detained that night as police violently dispersed the crowd.

Abdel-Fatta's verdict comes a day after Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi vowed to free young activists who were wrongly arrested.

Rights group estimates there are about 20,000 political detainees in Egypt.

TagsEgypt, uprising, press freedom, Mohammed Morsi, hosni mubarak