(AFP File Photo)
By: Nourhan Dakroury
On Wednesday, the court postponed the trial of 19 people arrested during clashes that took place outside the Presidential Palace last February.
Demonstrators had gathered outside of the palace on 11 February, demanding the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi. As a result, 21 people we arrested and investigated on charges of vandalising public and private property, assaulting police officers as well as preventing them from fulfilling their duties, possession of explosives and obstructing traffic.
Charges were later dropped against two of the detainees, one journalist and one Russian citizen, who were released, according to Ramy Ghanem, the lawyer for seven of the accused.
Out of the 19 people who are still on trial, 17 were released pending investigations while two remained in custody, Ghanem said.
Islam Gomaa, 21, was sent to Tora Prison and Karim Mongy, 16, was sent to the Marg Juvenile Penitentiary, the lawyer said.
“This trial hearing was the first after three months since the clashes”, he said.
Ghanem added that there is video footage showing what happened outside of the palace that day, but neither the lawyers nor those accused watched it.
“We should be able to watch the videos at the next court session,” Ghanem said, adding that the next hearing will take place on 18 June.
