Seventy-eight young men, all of them between the ages of 13 and 17 were sentenced to jail for taking part in a city-wide rally meant to urge President Mohamed Morsi to return to office after he was ejected from the position earlier this year.

Although the teens were fighting for a cause that they believe in, the authorities thought differently, arresting the teens for “participating in protests calling for the downfall of the regime.” As for specific crimes the teens might have committed, the state agency claimed that the protests “blocked roads” and “terrified citizens”, per the BBC.

Although the boys were arrested for protesting, there is an argument that the boys were not up to anything at all mischievous, but as the defense lawyer for the boys, Ayman El-Dabi stated, the young men had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

These arrests are just the latest of many terrible set backs for the people protesting in favor of President Morsi. During the long-term course of these protests, 1,400 people have died and more than 15,000 people have ended in prison for their participation. In addition, death sentences were given to over 500 supporters during a mass trial back in March. Finally, over 900 suspected Islamists were ordered to additional trials.

Back in 2013, millions of people called for president Morsi’s resignation for his “unfavorable” practices which concluded with the Egyptian army issuing a 48-hour ultimatum against the politician until he met the needs of the people. The president was charged with numerous crimes including inciting deadly violence and later, breaking out of jail. His trails for these crimes have been postponed several times and no final conclusion was ever reached.

Whatever side the people of Egypt call on, the rest of the world hopes for a safe resolution in these troubling times.