Deposed President Mohamed Morsy has hired Selim al-Awa to represent him in court, according to security sources at Alexandria's Borg al-Arab prison.
Morsy’s next session is on 8 January, when he will be tried for his role in the death of protesters outside the Ettehadiya presidential palace last December.
Sources added that Morsy said he agreed to hire a lawyer although he does not recognize the court's legitimacy. He made his decision so that the court would not hire representation for him, sources explained.
Morsy took the decision when his son Osama visited him in prison along with his defense team - including Awa, Mohamed Toson, Osama al-Helw and Mohamed al-Damaty - following approval from prosecutors.
The sources also said the defense would plead the invalidity of the trial in accordance with Article 152 of the 2012 Constitution, which states that Morsy is the president by law and should be tried before the president of the Supreme Judicial Council.
Mohamed Rateb, director of the Prison Service Department, said Morsy underwent a routine medical test for 10 days before designating the appropriate cell in which he would be incarcerated.
