Leading Egyptian activist goes on trial

The trial has started in Egypt of a leading human rights and pro-democracy activist charged with undermining state interests.

Saad Eddin Ibrahim and twenty-seven others are accused of receiving unauthorised funds from the European Union, and of spreading false information about parliamentary elections.

Reports say foreign diplomats, including some from the United States, attended the opening of the trial in Cairo.

Human rights groups say the trial is politically motivated.

Mr Ibrahim, a university professor, has Egyptian and American citizenship.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service