• 16:12
  • Tuesday ,09 September 2014
العربية

Court postpones Muslim Brotherhood leaders' trial over inciting violence

By Aswat Masriya

Copts and Poliltical Islam

00:09

Tuesday ,09 September 2014

Court postpones Muslim Brotherhood leaders' trial over inciting violence
A Cairo court postponed on Monday the trial of Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and 17 other group members over charges of inciting violence to September 20.
 
Badie, his deputies Khairat al-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi and 15 other Brotherhood members are facing trial over violence which took place outside the group's headquarters on June 30 and July 1 last year. The violence left at least nine killed.
 
The court heard the testimony of two doctors from the Forensics Authority on Monday regarding those killed due to the violence, said Mohamed Damati, one of the lawyers representing the defendants.
 
During the next session, the prosecution is scheduled to present its plea, Damati said.
 
The 18 defendants are charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, possession of explosives and firearms, and incitement to murder.
 
The Giza Criminal Court sentenced last week Badie and other Brotherhood leaders to life in prison for inciting clashes outside al-Istiqama Mosque in Giza on July 22, 2013.
 
Badie has already been served a ratified death sentence over clashes in Minya last August. A criminal court confirmed on June 19 the supreme guide's death sentence alongside 182 other defendants. The mass death sentence has garnered international condemnation.
 
The Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide remains facing a string of other charges in more than one pending court case.
 
Muslim Brotherhood leaders have often found themselves behind bars and facing courts since the ouster of Brotherhood member and former Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on July 3 last year. A court in Minya has served over 1000 Brotherhood supporters preliminary death sentences in March and April 2014.