The defense team for Cairo’s former security director, Ismail al-Shaer, wrapped up their argument on Tuesday in the Cairo Criminal Court, where Shaer, along with former President Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and five other security officials are facing charges of killing demonstrators during January and February of last year.
Essam al-Battawy, one of Shaer’s defense lawyers, blamed field leaders from the Central Security Forces (CSF) for killing demonstrators during 18-day uprising that ousted Mubarak. He held CSF leaders “responsible for the actions of the soldiers and the officers,” referring to the killings of protesters.
Battawy demanded that the court drop all charges against Shaer. He also demanded that the court task the Interior Ministry with carrying out investigations to find the real culprits.
Battawy called on the court to question the heads of security from all governorates who were serving during the 18 days to find out what orders they received from the deputy interior minister for the public security department regarding dealing with protesters.
The lawyer said he rejects the autopsy reports of the killed protesters and demanded that the court question the doctors who conducted these reports. He said that a neutral technical committee must be formed from the armed forces to inspect police ammunition and weapons to see if they match the weapons that allegedly killed protesters.
Battawy denied that Shaer bears any criminal responsibility for protester deaths, saying that his power was restricted to oversight.
Battawy added that there is not any material evidence to support the charge of premeditated murder.
The court will begin hearing the defense of General Osama al-Marasi, former head of the Giza police force, tomorrow.
Marasi is accused of issuing orders for police to withdraw from their posts during the revolution, resulting in a security vacuum and chaos that disturbed public peace, terrorized citizens and endangered their lives, and caused damage to public facilities and private property resulting in economic losses.
