Morsi jail break trial adjourned

Ahram Online, Monday 7 Jul 2014

The trial is linked to the escape of more than 20,000 inmates from three Egyptian prisons during the early days of the 2011 uprising

Egypt
Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi stands inside a glassed-in defendant's cage during his trial on charges related to the prison breaks at the height of the 18-day 2011 uprising against his predecessor Hosni Mubarak, Jan. 28, 2014 (AP Photo)

Cairo Criminal Court has adjourned to 13 July the trial of deposed president Mohamed Morsi on charges of escaping from prison in 2011.

The court is set to continue hearing testimonies in the next session.

Morsi and 130 co-defendants face charges of damaging and setting fire to prison buildings, murder and attempted murder, and looting prison weapons depots while allowing prisoners from the "Hamas movement, Lebanon's Hezbollah, jihadists, Brotherhood [members] and other criminals" to break out of jails.

The charges are linked to the escape of more than 20,000 inmates from three Egyptian prisons during the early days of the 2011 popular uprising. Prosecutors said over 800 fighters from Gaza had infiltrated Egypt, using RPGs and heavy armaments to storm three prisons, abducting four policemen and killing several other policemen and inmates.

The case is part of an ongoing state crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group and its supporters.

Morsi and much of the group’s leadership are in jail facing trial on a myriad of charges that could carry the death sentence.

Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood's spiritual leader, has already been sentenced to death in two separate trials.

Others accused in the prison break case include senior Brotherhood leaders Mohamed Saad El-Katatni, Essam El-Erian, Mohamed El-Beltagy, and pro-Brotherhood preacher Safwat Hegazy.

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