CAIRO, May 4 (Aswat Masriya) - A Cairo court ordered on Wednesday the release of 22 people arrested in protests held in April against a decision by the president to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

The Qasr al-Nil Misdemeanor court released the defendants pending investigation. They are accused of protesting illegally and disrupting public peace and security. 

The court set the first of June to hear defence pleadings.

Security forces arrested the defendants during protests held on Apr. 15 in front of the Press Syndicate in downtown Cairo, under the slogan "Friday of the Land". The demonstrations were held in opposition to a recently signed agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which stipulates that two disputed Red Sea islands, Tiran and Sanafir, are part of Saudi territorial waters.

The islands are located at the mouth of the Gulf of al-Aqaba and are strategically significant as they both control maritime activity in the gulf. 

The agreement, which has yet to be ratified by the parliament, has provoked public ire in Egypt and has come under heavy scrutiny by many Egyptians who argue that the two islands are Egyptian and accuse the president of "selling Egypt" in return for Saudi aid.

The protests have brought many activists and people back to the streets after months of relative calm.

An assembly law issued in 2013 puts restrictions on protests and stipulates that permission for protest should be obtained from the interior ministry beforehand.