(AFP File Photo)
North Giza Criminal Court decided, on Tuesday,to postpon the trial of prominent activists Alaa Abdel Fatah, Mona Seif, 6 April Youth movement member Ahmed Abdallah and nine others charged with setting fire to the electoral headquarters of former Presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, to 3 November 2013.
Only four of the ten accused were present, Alaa Abdel Fatah, Mona Seif, Ahmed Abdallah and Yehia Saleh. The accused were released after the court’s decision.
6 April Movement held a small protest around Supreme Judicial court, where the trial was held.
Mahmoud Belal, defense lawyer for the accused said that he requested to adjourn the trial in order to discuss the charges with witnesses. The request was granted by the court.
Belal added that the witnesses were not around the headquarters while it was set on fire.
Shafiq’s electoral headquarters, located in Dokki , was burnt on 28 May 2012. Shafiq initially accused Alaa Abdel Fatah, his sister Mona Seif and ten others of setting the fire.
Shafiq later relinquished the lawsuit on 4 June 2012, saying in a press release that he will not be “a stick to hit revolutionaries” and that the Brotherhood fabricates charges against revolutionary activists, but investigations regarding the fire continued until prosecution decided to close the case.
Former Prosecutor General, Tala’at Abdallah decided to re-open the case in May 2013, in a step that was described by Belal as “a Brotherhood action to settle accounts with the accused” During this time, Alaa Abdel Fatah was also accused of inciting violence around the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guidance office, in what is known as the Mokattam Clashes on 8 March 2013, investigations regarding this case are still ongoing.
