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.