EGYPT: Court acquits four accused in President Mohamed Mursi attack

Record ID: 353691

  • Title: EGYPT: Court acquits four accused in President Mohamed Mursi attack
  • Date: 8th September 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT: (SEPTEMBER 8, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HELIOPOLIS COURT SIGN "HELIOPOLIS COURT" JOURNALISTS AROUND ACCUSED POLICEMEN LEADING ACCUSED TO COURTROOM RELATIVES CHANTING AGAINST MURSI ACCUSED ENTERING CAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HELIOPOLIS COURT'S JUDGE, SAYING: "After reviewing article 304 of the code of criminal procedures; the court rules that the accused
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PNT0WBA1SCVUFLDRP5AQIS4T
  • Story Text: An Egyptian court acquitted on Saturday (September 8) four people, including a woman, who were charged with assaulting the motorcade of new Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, marking the first such ruling since the Islamists took power.
    Relatives and supporters of the defendants attended the court session since the early hours of the morning and chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) slogans saying; "Down with (the MB) leader's rule," referring to the Muslim Brotherhood group from which Mursi hailed.
    Mursi officially resigned from the group when he took office in late June.
    "After reviewing article 304 of the code of criminal procedures; the court rules that the accused be acquitted," the judge said.
    The accused were arrested during a protest on August 6 against Mursi the day after 16 border guards were killed by militants close to the Gaza strip.
    The prosecutor accused the defendants of hurling shoes and stones at the motorcade of President Mursi. He also said that they shouted hostile chants against him.
    "This is our fair verdict. The Muslim Brotherhood will not be able to manipulate it, thank God. Allah is the fairest ruler. The Muslim Brotherhood will not be able to manipulate our judiciary in which we trust," the accused woman, Nahed Ali, told Reuters.
    The issue has sparked concerns among political activists and human rights groups in Egypt about curtailing of freedoms in post-revolutionary era.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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