A court has dropped two key charges previously levelled against blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah in connection with the clashes outside the Maspero state television building in October. The charges of inciting a protest and gathering illegally were dropped, according to the blogger's lawyer, Ahmed al-Banna.
Abd El Fattah was originally being tried by a military court, but his case was recently transferred to a civilian court, a move that coincided with the reduction in the charges against him.
“This was a good step, since the military cannot be an adversary and an arbitrator at the same time,” said Taher Abu Zeid from the defense team.
Abu Zeid requested a copy of a particular eipsode of the “10 PM” TV news program in which members of the military council said the army troops at Maspero did not have live ammunition, thereby refuting the charge that the accused shot soldiers with live ammunition stolen from the them. He also requested a detailed list of the weapons that were alleged to have been stolen.
“There is a 50 percent chance that all the defendants will be released,” Banna said, adding that he asked that Abd El Fattah be allowed to vote in the parliamentary elections in accordance with a court ruling.
Relatives of the defendants talked about their ill-treatment, as well as the uncleanliness of the prison where they are being kept. The relatives also claim that the defendants were tortured.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
