- 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.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.