Former Egypt President Morsi's trial opens; 'This is illegitimate,' he says.
Egypt's former President Morsi, deposed in a July coup and now in the dock along with fellow members of the Muslim Brotherhood, refused to recognize the court's authority.
Egypt's former President Morsi, deposed in a July coup and now in the dock along with fellow members of the Muslim Brotherhood, refused to recognize the court's authority.
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The trial of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi opened today and quickly adjourned until January. Protests both inside and outside the courtroom highlighted the tensions that have wracked the country since the military removed Morsi from office in July.
The judge overseeing the trial of Mr. Morsi and 14 other members of the Muslim Brotherhood announced the trial would adjourn until Jan. 8, reports France24. Reuters reports that Morsi, during his court appearance where he refused to wear the orange jumpsuit issued to state prisoners, "appeared angry and interrupted the session repeatedly" with chants of "Down with military rule." Morsi said he was still the country's "legitimate" president.
The defendants are being tried on charges of inciting the murder of protesters in clashes between police and anti-Morsi protesters last December. At least 10 people died and hundreds more were injured in the ensuing violence. But The New York Times adds "rights advocates say the charges are selective at best."
The Times recounts the events of Dec. 5:
The Times adds that Morsi's supporters went on to beat and detain anti-Morsi protesters, and turned them over to prosecutors to be charged. But the prosecutors immediately released the detainees, who were not charged. The Times notes that no charges have been brought against Morsi over the detentions.
Bloomberg writes that the military and its installed government are using the trial to justify the coup that toppled Morsi in July.
But the trial is a risk for the military, as Morsi still enjoys broad support among the Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized political force. Bloomberg notes that the government rolled out massive security for the trial, including some 20,000 personnel across the country, and moved the court to a police academy over security concerns. But protests outside the trial proved relatively modest, with several dozen pro-Morsi supporters making an appearance at the security barriers blocking access to the court.