Egyptian court acquits over 60 Morsi supporters

Egyptian court acquits over 60 Morsi supporters

PanARMENIAN.Net - A court in Egypt has acquitted Sunday, Feb 2, more than 60 supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi who were arrested during a violent protest last year.

Judges also cleared a cameraman working for the broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

The men, most of whom have links to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, had been accused of attempted murder and rioting following deadly clashes in Cairo. They were demonstrating against Morsi's removal from power by the military in July 2013.

Egypt's first democratically elected president is currently facing four separate trials on various charges.

Islamists have staged regular protests demanding his reinstatement, but have been met with a heavy crackdown in which hundreds have died.

The interim government has declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and arrested thousands of its members since last year.

Cameraman Mohamed Badr and 61 other people went on trial in December, accused of involvement in violence during the protest in central Cairo on 15 July.

Hundreds of Morsi supporters gathered at Ramses Square and some overran a police station. Clashes between ensued, leaving seven dead and more than 260 injured.

Al-Jazeera rejected the allegation that Badr was a protester, and said he was merely covering the event.

As the judge announced the acquittals on Sunday, defendants and their families shouted "Justice is done" and "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great).

Prosecutors said they were considering an appeal.

The media has increasingly become a target in the authorities' crackdown on dissent. Last week, Egyptian prosecutors filed criminal charges against 20 other Al-Jazeera journalists, accusing them of conspiring with the Brotherhood.

They include former BBC correspondent Peter Greste who was been held for more than a month with his producers, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.

They were arrested on Dec 29 in Cairo for allegedly holding illegal meetings with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

In late January, Greste sent a letter from Cairo's Tora prison, calling the detentions an "attack on the freedom of speech".

Another Al-Jazeera staff member, Abdullah al-Shami, has been in detention since August.

Related links:
 Top stories
Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive.
In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million).
The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot".
The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.
Partner news
---