Sunday, March 02, 2014

Egyptian Ousted President Morsi Espionage Case Adjourned Again

Morsi espionage case adjourned

Ahram Online , Saturday 1 Mar 2014

Defendants, including ousted president Mohamed Morsi, fail to appear in court for reasons of facing another trial on the same day

Cairo Appeals Court adjourned Saturday the case against ousted president Mohamed Morsi and 35 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders on charges of espionage, after the defendants failed to appear in court.

Defendants, including Morsi, were facing another trial the same day in which they are accused of inciting the murder and torture of opposition protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

The espionage case was suspended last week by Cairo Criminal Court to allow Cairo Appeals Court to look into defence lawyer demands that trial judges be changed on the basis of claimed faults in trial procedures.

Lawyers representing Safwat Hegazy and Mohamed El-Beltagy, who said they represent all defendants in the case, made the request that the judges in the case be changed.

Morsi and the 35 other Brotherhood leading figures stand accused of collaborating with foreign organisations, namely "Hamas in Gaza," to commit acts of terrorism in Egypt, of revealing defence secrets to a foreign country, funding terrorists and organising militant training "to achieve the purpose of the international organisation of the Brotherhood," according to a statement from the prosecution.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/95555.aspx


Morsi trial on murder charges adjourned to Sunday

El-Sayed Gamal El-Deen, Saturday 1 Mar 2014

Morsi and co-defendants are accused of inciting the killing and torture of opposition protesters in December 2012

A Cairo court on Saturday adjourned ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s trial on charges of inciting murder to the following day, to allow evidence to be gathered.

Morsi, his presidential aides and other senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders are accused of inciting the murder and torture of opposition protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

During the session at Cairo Criminal Court, defence lawyers argued that there was no evidence of killing or attempted murder. They also demanded an investigation into the wire-tapping efforts used to gather evidence against the defendants.

The defence further demanded that one of the sitting judges be changed, after he allegedly gave statement to state television expressing his views regarding the case.

At least 10 people were killed in December 2012 during protests triggered by a presidential decree that expanded Morsi's powers and put his decisions beyond judicial review.

Video footage of the deadly clashes prepared by a technical committee from the state broadcaster will be reviewed in the next trial session.

Morsi, who was removed from power by the army in July 2013 amid nationwide protests against his year-long rule, also faces a number of other charges in separate court cases, including espionage and breaking out of prison in 2011.

The former president's defence team withdrew from his espionage trial in protest at the soundproof glass box that has been used to contain the defendants during court proceedings, in place of the customary defendant cage.

Their withdrawal prompted the court to appoint 10 new defence lawyers.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/95544.aspx

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