A group of 14 women jailed for protests in support of Egypt 's ousted president will soon be free , after an Alexandria court revised their 11-year sentences , state news reported . The women had been sentenced Wednesday -- along with seven minors facing juvenile detention -- on charges of gathering , thuggery and weapons possession at a demonstration in support of former President Mohamed Morsy . The sentence sparked wide criticism of the Interior Ministry and the judiciary 's handling of cases involving those detained for publicly backing Morsy , who has been in custody since being pushed out in July . Police arrest head of arrested women 's defense team . It also set the stage for Saturday 's appeals hearing in Alexandria . That ended with the court 's decision to release the 14 women , giving them instead suspended one-year sentences , according to Egypt 's state-run Al Ahram newspaper . The appeals court also acquitted the detained girls , who ranged in age from 15 to 17 . Egypt has been mired in political and social turmoil since massive , peaceful protests in 2011 -- amid the broader Arab Spring movement that targeted many entrenched leaders in the Middle East -- led to the exit of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak . Morsy took power as Egypt 's first popularly elected president in June 2012 . But his time was marked by continued unrest , much of it targeting him and the Muslim Brotherhood , the once-banned Islamist organization that he once led . Conditions in the North African country have not improved significantly since the military forced off Morsy and assumed control . Authorities have taken various steps to quell the social unrest , including legislation passed last month barring unauthorized protests . These efforts have most noticeably targeted Morsy supporters , though authorities have increasingly cracked down on non-Islamist activists who oppose the military-led regime and Morsy . Egypt 's draft constitution goes to interim president .
An appeals court upheld the 11-year sentences given to women involved in a protest . They will be fined and given 1-year suspended sentences , state news reports . The women 's original sentences sparked widespread condemnation around Egypt . They were arrested at a demonstration for ousted President Ben Ali .