Court acquits lawmaker of protest charges

Saturday 26-03-2016 08:14 PM

Lawmaker Haitham al-Hariry during his trial on Mar. 26, 2016. ASWATMASRIYA

CAIRO, Mar 26 (Aswat Masriya) – An Alexandria court acquitted on Saturday lawmaker Haitham al-Hariry from charges of disturbing public peace and demonstrating in events that date back to June 2013.

Hariry was originally sentenced in absentia to three years of imprisonment but he requested a retrial last year after he applied to be a candidate in Egypt's House of Representatives elections.

He was accused of participating in a demonstration with the aim of disturbing public peace in June 2013 when clashes broke out between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and members of Tamarod movement in Alexandria. The movement is credited with being a major driver of the mass protests that were organised to object to the rule of militarily ousted president Mohamed Mursi.

The court case resumed today after it was postponed last Feb. pending a letter from the House to lift Hariry's immunity to allow for the trial.

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