In this Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 photo, 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.(AP Photo)
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.
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