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Cairo. – The Cairo Criminal Court yesterday adjourned the trial of ousted president Mohamed Morsi over the death of protesters to February 1 due to the bad weather that prevented his helicopter from getting to the court, state TV reported. Morsi, who is detained in a prison some 60km from the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, was due in court yesterday at the Cairo Police Academy for the second session of his trial over charges of inciting the killing of at least seven protesters outside the Presidential Palace in Cairo during his rule in December 2012.
Earlier, state TV said Morsi arrived at the court along with 14 other defendants.
However, it later quoted a top security official in Alexandria as saying that the bad weather held Morsi’s helicopter back.
“The helicopter has not taken off and it will not do if the bad weather continues,” official news agency MENA quoted General Nasser al-Abd, head of Alexandria’s detective department, as saying.
The Islamist leader also faces charges of espionage, revealing classified military information to foreign bodies including Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas, as well as financing terrorism.
During his first appearance in court on November 4, 2013, Morsi insisted that he was still the legitimate president of Egypt.
“The new draft constitution hasn’t been endorsed yet, so how could the court try Morsi in accordance to the new charter?” Maguid asked.
Mohamed Al-Masry, one of the lawyers defending Morsi, told Xinhua that seven of the accused who were present on Wednesday had been on hunger strike for 14 days. Seven other defendants were due to be tried in absentia.
“The court is political, illegitimate,” Amro Soliman, a pro-Morsi supporter told Xinhua.
At least three armoured vehicles were deployed around the police academy. Several protesters backing the Muslim Brotherhood raised photos of Morsi called for his reinstatement, while dozens others carried photos of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led the removal of the Islamist leader.
On December 25, Morsi’s Brotherhood group was declared by the interim government a terrorist organisation, a day after a blast targeting a security department headquarters in Daqahliya province killed at least 17 people.
Outside the courthouse in Cairo, the same venue for the trial of his deposed predecessor Hosni Mubarak on similar charges, at least 17 Brotherhood loyalists were arrested.
The National Alliance for Supporting Legitimacy, a pro-Morsi coalition led by the Brotherhood, had called for a “million man march” on Wednesday to coincide with Morsi’s trial, but the numbers were low as security forces hindered them.
Elsewhere in Cairo, protesters set five cars – including a police vehicle – ablaze. At least 14 people were arrested.
Lawyers for the Muslim Brotherhood submitted a declaration to the International Criminal Court on Monday on behalf of the ousted Islamist president accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction in Egypt even though it is not a signatory.
They have also submitted a complaint detailing alleged evidence of crimes since Morsi and his Brotherhood were ousted by the military last year. Morsi has refused to have a lawyer as he doesn’t acknowledge the army-installed interim government. His trial comes as thousands of Egyptians abroad started voting on a draft constitution to replace the 2012 constitution masterminded mostly by the Islamists.
The amended charter is to be put to a referendum on January 14-15, and it could be subject to amendments by the new parliament. -Xinhua.
Online Reporter