Photo: Journalist Mohamed Sabry ( Photo – Public Domain)
For the third time Al-Galaa Military Court in Ismailia postponed a verdict in Sinai-based photojournalist Muhamed Sabry’s military trial, bringing the total tally of trial sessions to 10.
Sabry is a Sinai-based activist and freelance photojournalist He is standing trial for “entering a prohibited military zone and filming a military facility” in January.
He was reporting on soldiers killed in August near the border city of Rafah when he was arrested. The military prosecution immediately referred him to a military misdemeanour court. He was released on 9 January but continues to stand trial.
“Enough. I want this to end,” Sabry told Daily News Egypt. The photojournalist, who is also a member of the No Military Trials movement, has been to over 10 sessions of military trials so far, including two previous verdict sessions.
Both prosecution and defence representatives have made their closing statements and all evidence has been presented to and reviewed by the court.
In an earlier interview Sabry told Daily News Egypt he believed the military court was postponing his verdicts due to lack of evidence against him.
Article 198 of the new constitution allows for military trials for civilians in special circumstances “as regulated by the law”. Over 12,000 civilians have faced military trials since the January 2011 uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
