Alexandria Criminal Court adjourned on Saturday the retrial of the policemen accused of killing Khaled Said - an iconic face of Egypt's revolution - to 6 July and ordered their release.

The court explains they must release them according to Article 143 of law 145, which sets a detention cap of 18 months.

The retrial, which began on Saturday, comes after the two defendants, Mahmoud Salah Mahmoud and Awad Ismail Soliman (both lower-ranking police officers) filed an appeal in December, arguing particular witnesses were 'dealt with lightly,' according to Reuters and are asking to repeal their seven-year jail sentences given by the Alexandria Criminal Court on 26 October.

The policemen were found guilty of illegal imprisonment and torture and violence. The family and supporters of the late 28-year-old Said were shocked at what they considered a light sentence.

According to Al-Ahram Arabic news website, families of the defendants attempted to attack Said's mother in the courtroom while the judges’ were deliberating the appeal.

Khaled Said's death caused a public outcry after photos of his battered face, allegedly at the hands of policemen from a notorious precinct, sent shockwaves throughout the internet. A call was sent out to protest in Tahrir Square on Cairo on National Police Day, on 25 January, 2011 via a Facebook page dedicated to his memory "We are all Khaled Said." This protest spiralled into a revolution, which succeeded in ousting former president Mubarak and end his 30-year rule.