26 Apr 12 | Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
A Cairo court today dismissed a three-month jail sentence handed down to popular comic actor Adel Iman, Al Ahram reports. Imam had faced jail after a case was brought against him for “defaming Islam”. He had been accused by Islamist lawyer Asran Mansour, who accused the actor of offending political figures and the religion. Imam’s lawyer argued that the his client’s films were “certified” by by authorities.
19 Apr 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Ten of the nominees running for president in Egypt have been disqualified due to “legal irregularities”. Muslim Brotherhood candidate Khairat el-Shater and former Vice President Omar Suleiman are among those who have been barred from the election. A spokesman for el-Shater’s campaign called it a “political decision”. The head of Egypt’s executive election committee Hatem Bagato said Suleiman and el-Shater were disqualified because they have unresolved pardons for time in prison.
22 Mar 12 | Africa, Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A Zimbabwe court on Monday fined six activists 500 USD (315 GBP) each and ordered them to carry out 420 hours of community service for conspiring to commit public violence during a meeting at which they watched video footage of Egyptian mass uprisings. Harare magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini ordered former opposition politician Munyaradzi Gwisai and five others to do community service or face a year in jail. He said that, although watching a video was not a crime, the “manner and motive” of the meeting showed bad intent, ruling that showing the footage that included “nasty scenarios” was intended to arouse hostility towards Zimbabwe’s government.
15 Mar 12 | Index Index, minipost
An Egyptian university banned the screening of an award winning Iranian film last week. The film A Separation”was due to be screened at Cairo University on 8 March, but objections from fundamentalist university groups led to the screening permit to be revoked. The film, which has won several international awards, tackles issues relating to immigration. The fundamentalist groups who objected to the screening of the film claimed it promoted Shiasm, secularism, and al-Assad’s regime at the expense of Syria, though these are not said to be themes of the film.
