MB Military Tribunal Adjourned till Thursday, Defense Rejects It

MB Military Tribunal Adjourned till Thursday, Defense Rejects It

The Military Court adjourned till next Thursday, 3rd, Jan, 2008, its trial against 40 Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leaders topped by Khairat Al-Shater and Mohamed Ali Beshr, members of the MB Executive Office. On Monday”s 46th session, lawyer  Hazem Salah Abu Ismail – Al Shater”s lawyer- continued his pleading- lasted for six hours- in which he refuted the content of the investigations report and rejected the court, considering it incompetent to see the case.
 
Abu Ismail said that the investigations report is invalid for several reasons, and that it contains a mere description which was a figment of its writer”s imagination. He added that, according to law, the investigation report must contain specific material incidents not a mere description.
 
Abu Ismail quoted an article about investigations written by top policemen in Sawt Al Umma newspaper, in which they said that figures confirm that investigations in 72 thousand cases every year are fabricated. This made him reject the content of the eight investigation reports .
 
He also rejected transferring the accused to the military justice as invalid. He said that the Egyptian constitution speaks about the military court in “Defense Section” and doesn”t speak about it in “Judiciary Section”, confirming that this military court is under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. Add to this the fact that the president has the authority to dismiss its judges and transfer them in a way that shakes the independence of justice. The lawyer pointed out also that this very court is picked up for this case of the MB leaders.
 
He also deemed the court invalid because the sessions aren”t heard in public and journalists and human rights observers are denied access to it while only some lawyers and relatives are given access.