Morsi tells legal delegation: There will be no reconciliation with those who shed blood

Ayman Nahid, a member of the legal authority for the defence of those indicted of the “itihadiyah events”, has revealed that deposed President Mohammed Morsi told a legal delegation that visited him in prison on Tuesday that there will be no reconciliation with those who shed blood.

The visit, which took place in the Burj Al-Arab prison, to the north of Alexandria, was attended by his team of legal advisors, including: Morsi’s son Osama Morsi; the head of the defence team, Mohamed Salim Al-Awa; as well as Mohamed Al-Damaty, Mohamed Tousson and Osama Helw, all lawyers.

Nahid, who met with members of the legal team following their visit, conveyed that: “The president sends his greetings to the Egyptian people, thanks them for their steadfastness during the latest period, and promises them that he himself will remain steadfast and firm on the truth just as they have done. He also stressed that he will not reconcile with those who shed Egyptian blood.”

Morsi continued: “My blood is not more precious than the blood of the Egyptians who were martyred for the sake of legitimacy and freedom.”

According to Nahid, the president told the delegation of lawyers that he has not succumbed to any pressure, and that he told those who pressured him that he would rather lose his life, without disclosing what forms of pressure he had been subjected to.

The legal authority for the defence of those indicted of the “itihadiyah events” told Anadolu Agency that they will hold an international press conference in Cairo on Wednesday to convey President Morsi’s message to the Egyptian people via the delegation who visited him in prison.

The National Alliance in Support of Legitimacy and in Opposition to the Coup holds the ruling authorities responsible for the failure of the reconciliation process whilst the ruling authorities accuse the alliance with its failure, after four months of intercessions and internal and external initiatives.

Nahid also pointed out that Morsi and the delegation of lawyers who visited him in prison will be taking legal action against the “coup leaders” and all those who participated in the coup, and put them trial.

Sources close to the legal team conveyed that Morsi will agree to appoint lawyers only for the prosecution of the coup leaders and not for their defence.

Nahid added that of all those commissioned by Morsi “will start within days to take legal action in order to provide evidence against the coup” without disclosing their names.

He pointed out that President Morsi stressed that no one should be hired for his defence in the case against him because he rejects the trial and considers it illegitimate.

Article 152 of the Constitution of 2012 (currently suspended) contains the following clause: “The President of the Republic is to be tried before a special tribunal headed by the President of the High Council of Judges and staffed by the senior deputies of the President of the High Constitutional Court and the State Council, and the two most senior presidents of the appeals courts. The Public Prosecutor assumes the role of prosecutor. If the most senior person is unable to play his part, the person next in seniority takes his place.’

Describing his prison conditions, Nahid said that Morsi “currently resides in a large suite at the Borg Al-Arab hospital prison. It contains a room and a lounge for receiving guests.”

The Cairo Criminal Court decided on 4th November to postpone the trial of Morsi and 14 other defendants until January 8 on charges of inciting to kill three protesters last year in front of the Heliopolis Presidential Palace, East of Cairo, in an incident which also resulted in the death of members of the Muslim Brotherhood. After the decision, the overthrown Egyptian president was transferred via a military helicopter to Borg Al-Arab prison in Alexandria.

Report from Cairo by the Anadolu Agency