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Egypt court imprisons opposition leader for illegally entering Gaza

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] An Egyptian military court on Wednesday sentenced an Islamist opposition leader to two years in prison for illegally entering Gaza. Magdy Ahmed Hussein, leader of the Labor Party, was arrested last month on suspicion of crossing into the territory via an illegal tunnel. Hussein was also fined 5,000 Egyptian pounds, or about USD $900. Hussein's trial has been criticized by human rights groups for the decision to prosecute under military law and restrictions placed on Hussein's access to lawyers. Hussein's trial was carried out under the emergency laws that have been in effect since the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and were renewed in May 2008. Human Rights Watch sharply criticized the renewal, saying the move showed "contempt for the rule of law." Egypt has used military tribunals extensively against members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 11, 2009 (boomark / email).