Archive for the public prosecution

Court to rule on Mubarak, Adly appeals on 13 January

by admin
December 23rd, 2012

The Court of Cassation on Sunday set 13 January to rule on former President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly’s appeals against their convictions of failing the prevent the deaths of protesters during the 25 January revolution.

Mubarak and Adly were each sentenced to 25 years in prison in June. Both men challenged the verdict, and if the Court of Cassation accepts their appeals, they will be granted retrials.

The Public Prosecution also appealed a verdict in the same case that acquitted Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal and businessman Hussein Salem of corruption, as well as the acquittal of six top security officials accused of killing protesters during the 18-day uprising. 



During the court session on Sunday, small fights broke out between supporters and opponents of the deposed president, as well as families of those martyred during the revolution, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported, adding that Mubarak supporters chanted against the Muslim Brotherhood. 



Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that security forces did not intervene during the clashes. 



According to state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, Adly’s attorney Essam al-Battawy said the court did not respond to his request to summon Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and former intelligence head Mourad Mowafy. He claimed these men’s testimonies would have affected the outcome of the case.  



Anadolu also quoted attorney Mohamed al-Guindy as saying that Adly told him: “The Muslim Brotherhood has is not involved with violence or killing protesters during the January revolution. It’s a thought-based group.” The statement came after Mubarak’s lawyer Farid al-Deeb accused the brotherhood and the Palestinian Hamas movement of killing protesters, citing statements of deceased former spy chief Omar Suleiman. 



During Mubarak’s rule, security services under Adly investigated and imprisoned Brotherhood members on charges of being members of a banned group and plotting against national interest. 



Edited translation from MENA
 

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Facing criticism, Sabbahi defends meeting with top prosecutor

by admin
November 7th, 2012

Former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi said he met with the public prosecutor last week to discuss the grievances of private citizens and not for any political motivation.

The Popular Current Party founder, who finished third in presidential elections this year, has been under fire for convening with Public Prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud.

The Public Prosecution led by Mahmoud has been the object of public outrage since six former Interior Ministry officials were exonerated in June of killing revolution protesters in a trial alongside former President Hosni Mubarak.

"My visit to the public prosecutor did not discuss public issues, but rather cases involving two Baltim citizens," he told satellite channel Misr 25 in a phone call Tuesday. Baltim is a city in the Nile Delta governorate Kafr al-Sheikh.  

One incident, he said, concerns Popular Current member Mansour al-Shehawy, who was allegedly denied access to the province's governor and chased by police dogs, while the other involves a citizen allegedly abused by police officers.

"That was not for political purposes, it was rather my relations with Baltim citizens that prompted me to demand their rights," Sabbahi said.

Demonstrators have protested the prosecution's failure to gather sufficient evidence for convictions of former officials and demanded Mahmoud's removal. Those calls were reiterated after several top officials from Mubarak's now-dissolved National Democratic Party were also acquitted of killing protesters in the infamous February 2011 Battle of the Camel.  

In October, President Mohamed Morsy tried to appoint Mahmoud ambassador to the Vatican, but the latter refused the new post and said he would maintain his office because the president does not have the authority to remove judicial officials.

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Civil protection forces put out fire in Sheraton Hotel

by admin
November 6th, 2012

Civil protection forces in Giza put out a fire in the Sheraton Hotel in Dokki, Cairo on Tuesday. 

The public prosecution has started investigating the incident. Initial reports indicate that the fire destroyed a restaurant overlooking the Nile and a club. There were no injuries. 

The Civil Protection Authority sent four vehicles to extinguish the fire and prevent it from moving to other parts of the hotel.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Shafiq files complaint alleging election irregularities

by admin
October 22nd, 2012

A lawyer representing former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq filed a complaint with the public prosecution alleging numerous irregularities and violations during the presidential runoff elections held in June.

Shafiq said in a phone call with Mehwar satellite channel Sunday that he would continue his bid to investigate the results of presidential elections.

“I will not forfeit my rights as I did after elections … everybody who attacked me will regret it; I rely on the law while the other party breaches it,” Shafiq said.

The runoffs had put the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsy ahead with 51.7 percent, while Shafiq won 48.3 percent of votes.

The complaint, filed by lawyer Shawqy al-Sayed, cited specific instances of alleged forgery, such as rigging ballots and importing pens with removable ink to invalidate them.

The same complaint also alleged instances where Christians were prevented from voting to be considered, as well as a Carter Center election observation report detecting systematic forgery in favor of a specific candidate and foreign press reports that claimed one candidate had obtained US$50 million in funding.

The complaint also cited reports by the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies saying Shafiq led the race with 300,000 more votes than Morsy.

Meanwhile, the Cairo Appeals Court has turned down a request by the Illicit Gains Authority to disclose Shafiq’s former Egyptian bank accounts.

The authority had requested that the public prosecution allow the disclosure of accounts owned by Shafiq, his wife and his daughters as part of its queries into illicit gains accusations made against the former prime minister.

Shafiq is currently standing trial in absentia for selling lands owned by a pilots housing association to Alaa and Gamal Mubarak , the sons of former President Hosni Mubarak, for below-market rates. He will also stand trial in November for financial corruption during his term as aviation minister.

Shafiq has been in the United Arab Emirates since losing the presidential runoff election. Authorities have placed him on the arrivals watch list.

Edited translation from MENA

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Public prosecutor investigates Friday’s clashes

by admin
October 15th, 2012

The public prosecution announced on Monday the start of investigations into 53 complaints filed over the clashes that took place in Tahrir Square on Friday.

The complaints accuse acting Freedom and Justice Party head Essam al-Erian, pro-Brotherhood preacher Safwat Hegazy, Mohamed al-Beltagy and other leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood of mobilizing their supporters to use violence against peaceful demonstrators, leading to clashes, injuries and destruction of property.

“Prosecutors immediately asked the hospitals and the Department of Forensic Medicine to report the types and causes of the casualties,” said public prosecution spokesperson Adel al-Saeed a in a press release. “We are also hearing testimonies from eyewitnesses.”

“We have so far found out that the perpetrators used shotguns and bladed weapons to injure some 147 people,” Saeed added. “Some were shot in the eye, others suffered skull fractures or bruises.”

“Already three suspects were arrested and detained pending further investigation,” he said.

The public prosecutor has also officially requested the General Intelligence Services, the Military Intelligence and the Interior Ministry to submit footage from surveillance cameras around the Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square.

The clashes took place on Friday during a demonstration that had mainly been called for by liberal forces to criticize President Mohamed Morsy’s performance in his first 100 days, but, liberal leaders say, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party called for their own protest against the public prosecutor in order to disrupt the planned demonstrations.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Mubarak and Adly appeals to be heard starting 23 December

by admin
September 30th, 2012

The Court of Cassation on Sunday set 23 December as the first session of an appeal hearing for the life sentence verdicts given to former President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly.

Mubarak and Adly were found guilty of failing to prevent the killing of protesters during the 25 January revolution. They were sentenced to life in prison in June earlier this year.

In addition, the Public Prosecution challenged the acquittal of six former security officials in the same case, as well as the expiration of corruption charges brought against Mubarak, his two sons and businessman Hussein Salem.

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Three defendants referred to trial for insulting Christianity

by admin
September 25th, 2012

The public prosecution referred three people Tuesday to a misdemeanor court on charges of the defamation of Christianity.

The defendants included one journalist and two people who allegedly burned the Bible. The court will start trial sessions next Sunday, according to state-run MENA news agency.

MENA reported that the prosecutor referred Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah, known as Sheikh Abu Islam, his son Islam, and journalist at privately-owned Al-Tahrir journalist Hany Mohamed Yassin Gadallah to trial on charges of insulting Christianity.

Abu Islam owns a private channel called Al-Umma and his son works as executive director of the channel.

Abu Islam and his son are accused of burning the Bible outside the US Embassy in Cairo during protests against a film produced in the US insulting Islam and Prophet Mohamed. Abu Islam also reportedly insulted Christianity in an interview with Al-Tahrir newspaper.

The prosecutor said evidence against the three defendants includes video footage that showed the Abu Islam and his son tearing and burning the Bible during protests.

Thousands demonstrated on 11 September outside the US Embassy in Cairo in reaction to the film "Innocence of Muslims." The protests were followed by smaller demonstrations  in which protesters clashed with security forces.

Amid reports that some of the figures behind the film are US-based Copts, there are concerns that the protests could turn their focus on Egypt’s Coptic minority. According to previous studies, Copts who complain of discrimination and violence constitute between six and 10 percent of Egypt’s population.

Egypt's public prosecutor issued arrest warrants Tuesday for seven Coptic Christians and Florida-based pastor Terry Jones in relation to the film.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Four detained in Alexandria for alleged assault of 24 August protesters

by admin
August 31st, 2012

The public prosecution in Alexandria detained Friday four people accused of assaulting anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters at the north military region in Alexandria on 24 August.

The suspects are between 25 and 35 years of age. The prosecution accused the defendants of attacking peaceful protesters using firearms and bladed weapons and harming public property. A number of protesters were injured and cars were damaged on the day of the protest.

The prosecution received eight complaints from injured protesters and car owners accusing the Muslim Brotherhood, the Freedom and Justice Party, President Mohamed Morsy and Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin of being responsible for their losses.

Clashes took place between protesters and others carrying knives and stones in front of the northern military region on 24 August. The demonstrators were taking part in a protest against the Muslim Brotherhood called for by former MP Mohamed Abou Hamed.

The FJP denied in a statement issued last Friday that it had links to the incident and said that the northern military region was attacked by about 100 thugs that have nothing to do with the Brotherhood or the party. The statement stressed the FJP’s respect for the freedom of peaceful expression.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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Two Brotherhood lawyers referred to trial for allegedly insulting court

by admin
August 17th, 2012

The Public Prosecution referred two Muslim Brotherhood lawyers to criminal court Thursday on charges of insulting the Supreme Constitutional Court.

Last July, the prosecution started investigating claims filed against lawyer and former Freedom and Justice Party MP Nasser Salem al-Hafy and FJP lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud for allegedly accusing the court of forging a ruling that dissolved the People's Assembly on 14 June.
 
The ruling had deemed the parliamentary elections law unconstitutional. 
 
Hafy and Abdel Maqsoud filed a complaint with the general prosecutor saying the Supreme Constitutional Court had sent a copy of the ruling to state-run newspapers to be officially published before the court decided on the case. The prosecution denied the claim following investigations and accused Hafy and Abdel Maqsoud of insulting the court.
 
Abdel Maqsoud, meanwhile, said the Muslim Brotherhood was preparing for another "round" against the Supreme Constitutional Court immediately after Eid al-Fitr.
 
He added that the Cairo prosecution sided with one party at the expense of the other, evidenced by the speed of its decision.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 
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Update: Detainees in Syrian embassy clashes released on bail

by admin
July 20th, 2012

The public prosecution released on bail Friday 20 suspects accused of inciting Wednesday night’s clashes at the Syrian Embassy in Cairo.

The suspects were each ordered to pay LE500 for bail. Three journalists and two children detained in connection with the clashes had been released Thursday evening.

The suspects were arrested during clashes between Central Security Forces and protesters who allegedly attempted to storm the embassy and post the Free Syrian Army flag on it. Protesters reportedly threw rocks at security forces, who fired tear gas.

The incident took place following the death of the Syrian defense minister and two other top officials in a Damascus bombing.

Qasr al-Nil prosecution said 14 people were injured in the clashes, including eight soldiers.

The prosecution demanded an inventory of the damages to public and private property and accused the suspects of assaulting security personnel and inciting violence.

Preliminary inspections indicate that the glass façade of the embassy was broken during the clashes.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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