The Battle of the Camel trial continued on Saturday at the Cairo Criminal Court as the defense attorney for former Shura Council speaker Safwat al-Sherif demanded his client’s acquittal.
Sherif’s lawyer objected to the prosecutor reading verses from the Qur'an and demanded that the prosecutor discuss only the evidence brought against Sherif.
The lawyer said that the investigations did not prove that his client was involved in the incident and that all the accusations brought against him had no legal basis. He added that both the prosecution and the military court investigations on the incident could not prove whether Sherif had links to the incident and could not determine the main perpetrator.
The lawyer questioned the evidence brought against Sherif and the testimony of witnesses, saying they were just stories based on rumors.
The trial was adjourned to Sunday to hear more arguments from defense attorneys.
The trial, which began last year, includes 24 defendants — members of the disbanded National Democratic Party, businessmen and former lawmakers — accused of involvement in killing protesters on 2 and 3 February last year during the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
On 2 and 3 February, peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators were attacked by assailants in Tahrir Square, some of whom rode horses and camels, in what became known as the Battle of the Camel. At least 11 protesters were killed.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
