Egypt
The Egyptian Bar Association announced Thursday an "indefinite" strike to protest the imprisonment of six colleagues for a brawl with clerks earlier this month.
"We immediately suspend all our activities, we will stop appearing in court and participating in the investigations of the prosecution from January 19 and for an unlimited period," the lawyers announced on their union's website.
On Wednesday, the criminal court of Marsa Matrouh (north-west) sentenced six lawyers to two years in prison following a brawl between them and three court clerks in the coastal city on January 5, according to the state-owned daily al-Ahram.
The Egyptian lawyers believe that there was "a clear intention to keep their colleagues in custody without real justification" and denounce a "rush to bring them to trial without taking the time to conduct a real investigation", according to the statement of their union.
The lawyers of the six convicts have appealed the decision and the court is expected to consider their request on Sunday.
In December, thousands of Egyptian lawyers demonstrated outside their union's headquarters in central Cairo - an unusual occurrence in a country where public demonstrations are banned - to protest a new electronic billing system introduced by the Ministry of Finance.
Go to video
In Kenya, 90% of packaged food needs health warning label under new rules
00:52
Nigeria’s Peter Obi to contest 2027 election, opposition coalition in jeopardy
Go to video
Cameroon’s Tourism Minister joins presidential race as Biya’s silence fuels uncertainty
Go to video
INTERPOL seizes $65M in fake drugs, arrests 769 in largest-ever global crackdown
Go to video
Uganda's Museveni breaks African silence on Israel-Iran war
Go to video
Over 40 killed in attack on Sudanese hospital: WHO Chief condemns “Appalling” strike