The Tanta Criminal Court on Sunday adjourned the trial of Gharbiya’s former security director and a number of other security officials and officers, all accused of killing protesters during the 25 January uprising last year, to 9 June to allow the court to hear defense witness testimony and examine material evidence.
Lawyer Sayed al-Feky of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center said the testimony of a forensic medical practioner proved the plantiffs' allegation that police must have been responsible for the deaths of protesters. The police's shotguns could fatally injure people if struck between a range of three and 10 meters, the practitioner apparently said. The street housing the Tanta police station is only six meters wide, he went on, which means that police must have shot the demonstrators protesting in front, according to Feky.
Tanta’s public prosecutor had previously referred the case of Major General Ramsy Taalab, the security director, five of his aides and three police officers to criminal court on charges of involvement in killing and wounding protesters.
Over 800 people were killed during the 2011 January uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak. Several protesters were reportedly killed outside police stations by officers’ gunfire.
Former President Hosni Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six former senior security officials, will hear their verdicts on 2 June for charges of ordering the killing of protesters during the revolt.
In March, police officers from Hadayek al-Kobba and Sayeda Zeinab police departments in Cairo were acquitted of similar charges.
