Mubarak judge 'uneasy' about Morsi supporters' trial

The North Cairo Criminal Court yesterday stepped down from presiding over the first hearing in the trial of 494 supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi due to “uneasiness”, according to judicial sources.

Egyptian public prosecutor Hisham Barakat ordered the referral of the 494 defendants to the Criminal Court. The suspects are on trial for “committing violence, assault , and murder against police forces, and setting public facilities and properties on fire, last August in Ramses area, in the Al-Fath Mosque area and the Azbakeya police station, leaving 210 dead,” according to the public prosecutor.

The alleged offenses took place in August last year.

The North Cairo Criminal Court is presided over by Judge Mahmoud Kamel Rashedy, who is also chairing the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak who is charged with killing demonstrators during the January 25, 2011, revolution.