Dozens of martyrs’ families and their lawyers staged a protest in front of the Justice Ministry on Thursday, objecting to what they described as the “intransigence” of the head of Cairo’s appeals court, who has refused to grant them permits to attend former President Hosni Mubarak's trial.
Mubarak, along with his two sons Alaa and Gamal, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, and six aides, are being tried on charges of inciting the killing of peaceful protesters. The trial is being held in Police Academy, in the Tagamoa al-Khames neighborhood of Cairo.
The presiding judge of Mubarak’s trial, judge Ahmed Refaat, decided to grant 600 people, including some martyrs’ families and media personnel, permits to attend the trial. Those who were not granted permits protested their difficulty in obtaining them.
Protesters threatened to escalate and internationalize the case. They chanted for permits and fair retribution for their sons.
"We do not know the reason behind the refusal and we do not find a suitable excuse for this intransigence," said Osama Sedkei, one of the lawyers.
Representatives for martyrs’ lawyers have met with the justice minister and have agreed to submit a list with the names of the lawyers and martyrs’ families to the minister.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
