[JURIST] A criminal court in Cairo Thursday refused a plea by public prosecutor Abdel Maguid for the release of jailed Egyptian opposition leader Ayman Nour [BBC profile; JURIST news archive]. Maguid had asked the court to consider Nour's deteriorating health, which is complicated by heart disease and diabetes. Maguid's request also follows accusations by Nour's wife, Gamila Ismail, that Egypt's police force has been abusing her husband [Reuters report].

Nour was convicted [JURIST report] in 2005 for forging signatures on documents registering his Al-Ghad Party [party website] for the upcoming presidential election [JURIST news archive], and was sentenced to five years in jail. He finished a distant second to President Hosni Mubarak [official website], although the election was marred by irregularities [JURIST report]. Nour lost his appeal [JURIST report] last year. AKI has more.