Egypt’s ex-President Mohamed Morsy to stand in criminal court

Mohamed Morsy, Egypt's former President

On Sunday, 1 September, Egypt’s Prosecutor General has ordered the referral of Egypt’s ex-President, Mohamed Morsy, case to the criminal court.

Mohamed Morsy along with 14 other Muslim Brotherhood members including its leaders will stand in trial accused of inciting violence and killing of the protesters in front of the Presidential Palace in December 2012 when nearly ten people have been killed and dozens wounded.

In December 2012, after former President Mohamed Morsy has issued his controversial Constitutional Declaration giving him unprecedented powers, the protests against this move have erupted in Cairo and other Egyptian cities. The protests held in front of the Presidential Palace in Cairo’s Heliopolis have turned into the violent clashes between the protesters and Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters.

Mohamed Morsy and 14 other Islamist figures will stand the trial soon accused of inciting violence and calling for killing the protesters in front of the Presidential Palace. After police and security forces have refused to attack the protesters Mohamed Morsy has reportedly called on the Islamist group’s supporters to commit the attacks against the demonstrators which resulted in the violent clashes.

Other Muslim Brotherhood’s leaders standing the trial with the similar case are also accused of inciting the violence, mostly via their televised speeches.

The 14 Muslim Brotherhood’s figures to stand in the criminal court include Mohamed El-Beltagy and Essam El-Erian, both prominent Muslim Brotherhood’s leaders, Sheikh Wagdy Ghoneim (Islamist preacher), Asaad Sheikha (head of the presidential office), Ahmed Abdel-Ati (head of Morsy’s presidential bureau) and others.

Mohamed Morsy is being held in the unknown location and received several days in detention pending investigation if several cases including his suspected collaboration with Hamas group and escaping from the prison during January 25 Revolution and inciting violence in December 2012.

The date of the trial for Mohamed Morsy and other 14 defendants is expected to be announced shortly.