FILE - In this Tuesday, March 26, 2013 file photo, Prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah is surrounded by supporters after his release from detention in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: AP)
Cairo Criminal Court suspended Saturday the trial of political activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah and 24 others until it examines the defence's request for the court to recuse itself.
The court delegated a different panel of judges to examine the recusal request.
The defendants face charges of illegally protesting, attacking a public employee doing his job, sabotaging public property, and attacking Captain Emad Tahoon and stealing his two-way radio.
The charges relate to a protest against military trials for civilians outside the Shura Council in Cairo in November 2013.
The protest was the first to be dispersed by force in accordance with a controversial new protest law issued in the same month, which criminalises unauthorised public demonstrations.
The No to Military Trials group claimed responsibility for organising the protest, but Abdel-Fattah was charged with being the protest organiser.
Short link: