Magdy Ahmed Hussein, 57, a leading opponent of the Egyptian government, was arrested on 31 January 2009 at the Rafah border crossing upon his return from the Gaza Strip. On 11 February 2009, he was immediately brought before a military court and sentenced to two years in prison and fined 5, 000 Egyptian pounds (900 dollars). He is currently serving this sentence in Al Mourj prison, Cairo.

Alkarama wishes to draw the attention of the Special Rapporteur on Torture to several cases of death by torture, a widespread practice in Egypt which tends to be perpetuated in part because of the total impunity that is accorded to the perpetrators by the public authorities.

Alkarama has just been officially informed of Opinion No° 27/2008 rendered during the last session of the UN Working Group of Arbitrary Detention concerning the detention of 26 leaders of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Alkarama has just been informed about the release on 15 April 2008 of Mr. Khaled Hamza, defender of human rights, who was arrested on 20 February 2008. Mr. Hamza reports that he was mistreated during his detention and that he is still the subject, as was affirmed to him by officers of the intelligence services, to prosecution without receiving any further details. It seems that the authorities want to leave him on the threat of new arrests if he continues his activities as a defender of human rights.