Egypt Adjourns Mass Trial of Mursi Supporters
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A court in Egypt adjourned the mass trial of more than 1,200 supporters of deposed President Mohamed Mursi after a brief hearing, state media reported.
The country's biggest trial since the army removed Mursi last July, after a turbulent single year in office, was adjourned until Monday, AFP reported.
Lawyer Khaled el-Koumi said the presiding judge in court angrily refused defence demands at the opening session on Saturday to postpone the case until they could review documents, AP reported.
More than 500 defendants faced charges at a court in Minya, south of Cairo, with the trial of the remainder due to begin on Tuesday, state MENA reported.
The legal proceedings are part of a crackdown by the military-installed authorities on Mursi's supporters who remain steadfast in demanding his reinstatement.
Egypt's first elected and civilian president was ousted by the army on July 3 in a move that triggered widespread unrest across a deeply polarised nation.
The defendants are accused of attacking both people and public property in southern Egypt in August, after security forces broke up two Cairo protest camps set up by Mursi supporters.
They are also charged with committing acts of violence that led to the deaths of two policemen in Minya, judicial sources said.
Monday's session is set to further examine charges against those defendants who attended Saturday's hearing.
The court session was closed to the media, so it was unclear how many of the accused appeared in person.
Earlier, the judicial sources said around 200 of the defendants are in detention, while others are either out on bail or on the run.
