afrol News, 12 February - The Egyptian military court has jailed an Islamist opposition activist Magdi Ahmed Hussein to two years in jail on Wednesday for illegally crossing into the Gaza Strip, local media has reported. Mr Hussein was also fined 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($900).

The secretary general of the banned Labour party, Magdi Hussein, was arrested 31 January after trying to re-enter Egypt from Gaza through an illegal cross-border tunnel.

Defense lawyer Mohammed Moneib said Mr Hussein was deprived of his right to defend himself as no lawyers were permitted into the trial. The military court ruling cannot be appealed.

However, International and local human rights groups have condemned the ruling by the court accusing the government of trampling Mr Hussein’s rights for trying him as a civilian before a military court.

The tribunals have been used mostly against members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's strongest opposition group, according to local reports.

The party's activities were suspended in 2000, partly due to its ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, media reports have said. The Muslim Brotherhood, a popular opposition party that has been accused of trying to topple the government is banned by law, but activists participate in elections as independent candidates.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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