(AFP File Photo)
The Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday postponed ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s espionage trial to Sunday, where the defence is expected to continue presenting its arguments, state media reported.
During the trial session, Morsi’s lawyer Montaser Al-Zaeat presented alleged leaks by some SCAF members discussing Morsi’s imprisonment. He is also currently working to convince the court that Morsi was held in a facility belonging to the Ministry of Interior and not a military unit.
The prosecution representative replied that Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat will launch an investigation in these recordings, which he described as “fabricated”.
The leaks included phone calls initially aired by a pro-Morsi satellite channel, allegedly between members of the Supreme Council of the Armed forces (SCAF), who mentioned that Morsi was being held in a maximum security navy prison in Abu Kir, contrary to a law that forbids the detention of civilians in military facilities.
Morsi, who state media has reported was arrested at his home in July 2013, was allowed to address the court, where he narrated his arrest procedure.
He added that he was escorted by the presidential guard to a naval unit, where he stayed until November 2013.
Morsi and 35 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including some of its most high-profile members, stand trial for collaborating with foreign groups. Others on trial include Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, his deputies Khairat El-Shater and Mahmoud Ezzat, and leaders of the group’s political wing Saad Al-Katatni, Mohamed Al-Beltagy and Essam El-Erian.
The defendants are accused of organising “a plot” with the aid of groups including Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. They also face charges of disclosing national security secrets, funding terrorism, and coordination with jihadist organisations inside and outside Egypt to execute terrorist operations in the country.
