title: Egyptian army officer jailed after announcing presidential candidacy: lawyer, family
text: CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian army officer was sentenced to six years in prison on Tuesday after announcing his intention last month to run in the country s 2018 presidential election, his lawyer and wife said. A military court found Colonel Ahmed Konsowa, 42, guilty of expressing political opinions as a serving military officer, his lawyer Asaad Heikal told Reuters. Konsowa appeared in a video last month announcing that he intended to run against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the vote, which will take place early next year. He said he had submitted his resignation from the army in 2014 but it had not been accepted. Konsowa s wife Rasha Safwat said they would appeal against the verdict. Sisi, the former commander of Egypt s military, has yet to announce he will seek reelection, but is widely expected to do so. 