Sunday Times 2
Egypt mass trial of Morsi supporters opens, adjourns
View(s):CAIRO, March 22 (AFP) -A court in Egypt adjourned the mass trial of more than 1,200 supporters of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi after a brief hearing today, state media reported.
The country’s biggest trial since the army removed Morsi last July after a turbulent single year in office was adjourned until Monday.
About 500 defendants faced charges at a court in Minya, south of Cairo, with the trial of the remainder due to begin on Tuesday, state news agency MENA reported.
Riot police are seen outside the grounds of Cairo University as Egyptian students, supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, demonstrate in Cairo (AFP)
The legal proceedings are part of a crackdown by the military-installed authorities on Morsi’s Islamist supporters who remain steadfast in demanding his reinstatement.
Egypt’s first elected and civilian president was ousted by the army on July 3 in a move that triggered widespread unrest across a deeply polarised nation.
The defendants are accused of attacking both people and public property in southern Egypt in August, after security forces broke up two Cairo protest camps set up by Morsi supporters.
They are also charged with committing acts of violence that led to the deaths of two policemen in Minya, judicial sources said.
Monday’s session is set to further examine charges against those defendants who attended Saturday’s hearing.
The court session was closed to the media, so it was unclear how many of the accused appeared in person.