'Rabaa operations room' retrial postponed to September 25

Wednesday 03-08-2016 01:25 PM

Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohames Badie during one of his trial sessions - Reuters

CAIRO, Aug 3 (Aswat Masriya) – Giza Criminal Court postponed Wednesday the retrial of 37 defendants, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Guide, to September 25 in a case dubbed as "Rabaa Operations Room".

The postponement was due to the absence of Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie from the trial session.

In April, the Cairo Criminal Court handed Badie and 13 others death sentences, while 26 others received life imprisonment. The court was then presided over by Judge Nagy Shehata, who is well-known for handing down numerous death sentences in several "terrorism" related cases.

The Court of Cassation accepted the appeals on verdicts issued against 37 of the 51 defendants in the case in December.

Defendants are accused of running an "operations room ... to direct the Muslim Brotherhood group to resist the state during the Rabaa [Al-Adaweya] sit-in dispersal, as well as "spreading chaos" following Rabaa's dispersal and attempting to break into and set ablaze police stations, private property and churches.

The Rabaa sit-in was in support of elected Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi, who was ousted by the military in July 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel since July 2013. 

Since Mursi's ouster, Egyptian authorities have led a crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood leaders and prominent figures, who have often found themselves behind bars or facing court cases. 

Badie is also facing a string of other charges in more than one pending court case.

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