(AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki)
Lawyers from the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), El-Nadeem Centre for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, and the National Community for Human Rights and Law submitted a challenge to the court against the “untrustworthy” judge presiding over political activist Ahmed Douma’s trial.
Douma is accused of attacking the cabinet building, security personnel, and the Scientific Institute in Cairo in December 2011.
According to a statement issued by ANHRI on Sunday, the lawyers’ request is based on the fact that the court has “disclosed its intent” through claiming that police forces didn’t attack the protesters, but claiming that the protesters attacked the police.
Other reasons cited were that the court has refused most of the defence’s demands, including allowing presence of a number of prosecution witnesses, and refusing to grant Douma the right to leave the air-conditioned glass cage due to his deteriorating health, read the statement.
Douma also announced his “lack of confidence in the court”.
The activist has arrived to his last trial on 17 September in an ambulance and his trial was adjourned to 23 September.
Douma is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for violating the 2013 Protest Law in protests in front of the Abdeen Court in November 2013.
Freedom of the Brave, an Egyptian initiative supporting detainees, noted that Douma has been detained since December 2013 and has been on a hunger strike since 28 August 2014.
