(AFP File Photo\ Khaled Desouki)
The Cairo Criminal Court referred an “insulting” Lawyers’ Syndicate statement to the general prosecution for investigation during a cabinet clashes trial session.
The court also postponed the trial to 9 December and ordered assigning a lawyer from the syndicate to defend the case following the withdrawal of the defence during the session.
The syndicate’s statement said that the court and its head predominated the defence’s rights and filed complaints against the defence lawyers, after the court “terrorised” the lawyers and forced them away from their clients’ fundamental demands.
“Disregard for the [defense] lawyers is unacceptable,” the Saturday statement said. “The dignity of lawyers is not less than that of the head of the court.”
The lawyer’s syndicate reassured its constitutional conviction of its defence rights, the rule of law, and its partnership in attaining justice. “No one can remove or subtract [from these rights],” the statement asserted.
The lawyers also stated that they do not accept behaviours which affect the credibility of the Egyptian judiciary.
However, according to lawyer Mahmoud Belal the syndicate statement reflected an assault on the profession.
The previous session on 12 November ended with the judge storming out of the courtroom and the defence lawyer being referred to the Maadi prosecution for investigation.
The December 2011 cabinet clashes occurred after demonstrators organised a sit-in at the cabinet headquarters protesting the appointment of Kamal El-Ganzoury as prime minister by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF). The military police attempted to disperse the sit-in, resulting in deadly violence which lasted for four days.
The case involves political activist Ahmed Douma, along with 268 other defendants. All defendants are facing charges of attacking the cabinet building and security personnel as well as burning the Scientific Institute in Cairo in 2011. Douma was allegedly one of the organisers of the sit-in, although he said that he was not present in the area when the violence started.
