CAIRO, Jun 14 (Aswat Masriya) – Egypt’s administrative court postponed on Tuesday the trial over the controversial demarcation agreement that stipulates the transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia to June 21 to issue the verdict.

In previous sessions, the court requested the state to present a copy of the agreement while lawyers presented various evidence and maps that support their claim that the islands are Egyptian.

Prominent human rights defender and former presidential candidate Khaled Ali had presented to the court an Atlas that he said was prepared by the Egyptian military in 2007 to confirm that Tiran and Sanafir are Egyptian and fall under Egyptian sovereignty.

The agreement, which stipulates that the two strategic islands of Tiran and Sanafir fall into Saudi territorial waters, stirred controversy, with critics accusing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of "selling Egypt" to Saudi Arabia in return for aid.

The controversial demarcation agreement prompted thousands of Egyptians to take to the streets in rare protests on April 15 and April 25, amid a police campaign of mass arrests of activists opposed to the islands’ transfer.

Tens were fined or handed down prison sentences that ranged from two to five years in a string of court cases related to the protests. Most recently, a court sentenced on Saturday seven defendants to eight years in prison each and fined them.

A number of protesters were also acquitted or had their sentences revoked by court. Most recently on Tuesday, an Egyptian court acquitted 51 persons of protest charges.

Sisi defended the agreement in a televised speech in April, saying that "Egypt does not sell its land to anyone and it does not take anyone's land."

The cabinet also argued in a statement that the islands are Saudi, adding that Saudi Arabia requested Egypt to protect them in 1950 and they had been under Egypt's control since.

A number of lawsuits were filed in an attempt to nullify the agreement, which has yet to be ratified by the parliament.

Among the lawyers who filed lawsuits is the renowned rights defender Malek Adly, who has been in custody since May 6. He is detained on charges of inciting protests on April 25.

Adly’s detention was renewed on Tuesday for 15 more days, according to the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights.