Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsy face new charges in court

Mohamed Morsy, Egypt's ousted President
(Image: Wikipedia)

Egypt’s former Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsy, ousted by Armed Forces decree on 3 July following massive protests all over Egypt against his rule, will face new charges in court along with the previous accusations.

Mohamed Morsy already faces charges of inciting violence and calling for injuring and killing of his opponents during December clashes in front of the Presidential Palace in 2012. Thousands of people protested against controversial Constitutional Declaration issued then by Mohamed Morsy and giving him actually unlimited powers. Violent clashes erupted between the protesters and supporters of Morsy and Muslim Brotherhood resulted in dozens of dead and many injured. Thus Mohamed Morsy along with other prominent figures of Muslim Brotherhood is facing trial on these charges. Court though has adjourned the trial session.

On Thursday 19 December Egypt’s Prosecutor General has announced other accusations against the ousted President. Mohamed Morsy along with other 37 co-defendants including leaders and prominent members of Muslim Brotherhood is charged with international conspiracy and espionage, collaboration with foreign terrorist organizations including Hamas, Hizbollah, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and other foreign and local terrorist organizations, leaking secret information regarding national defense and security to these organizations in attempt to perform terrorist acts on the territory of Egypt in order to destabilize situation in the country and to create chaos. This case was declared by Egyptian judges as “One of the most dangerous terrorist crime the country has ever seen”.

In addition to these accusation Mohamed Morsy is also charged with the accusation of the prison break and escape from Wadi Al-Natroun Prison during uprising in January 2011. An investigative judge referred Egypt’s ex-President to the criminal court for these charges on Saturday, 21 December. Mohamed Morsy will stand trial for these charges together with other 132 co-defendants.

Mohamed Morsy and some members of Muslim Brotherhood, Hizbollah, Hamas and some other organizations are accused of storming prisons and attempted killing of police officers on 28 January 2011.

Egypt’s former President along with other co-defendants will stand trial for kidnapping and attempts to murder three officers, holding them captive on the territory of Gaza Strip, prison break, possessing heavy weapons, committing aggressive acts, vandalizing governmental facilities and even looting the livestock of the prison.  

Muslim Brotherhood’s lawyer Mohamed El-Damati, head of Mohamed Morsy’s defgense team, has stated that Morsy will hire lawyers for his defense team although he refuses to recognize the court due to try his and the current transitional government formed after “coup”. Mohamed Morsy considers himself being Egypt’s legitimate President and refuses to recognize any steps and decisions resulted in his ouster by military, stated Mr. El-Damati.

Mohamed El-Damati also added that neither he nor other members of Morsy’s defense team have received the materials of the trial cases and papers containing charges against Morsy and other Muslim Brotherhood’s members.