CAIRO, Jan 18 (Aswat Masriya) - A Cairo court judge decided Wednesday to release 12 individuals who were arrested for protesting earlier this month at the press syndicate against the transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

They were ordered released on a bail of EGP 20,000 each.

The defendants were charged with thuggery, illegal assembly, demonstrating power, possessing weapons, and blocking roads.

Earlier in January, security forces dispersed protests against the transfer of the Tiran, Sanafir demarcation agreement to the parliament.

The agreement stipulates the transfer of maritime sovereignty over two Red Sea islands, Tiran and Sanafir, to Saudi Arabia. It was signed in early April 2016 during King Salman bin Abdul Aziz's visit to Cairo.

On Monday, the Supreme Administrative Court revoked the agreement and confirmed Egyptian sovereignty over the two red sea islands; Tiran and Sanafir.

Meanwhile, the parliament's legislative committee passed on Tuesday an amendment on article 10 of the protest law.

The new amendment states that the "interior minister, or the specialised security personnel are required to send a notification to the urgent matters judge in case there was significant evidence of violence or potential security turbulence during a protest or an assembly."

Earlier, the article used to give the interior ministry the full authority to ban the protest if they suspected potential violence, without having to refer to a third party.