Lawyers for defendants in the Battle of the Camel trial will resume their arguments on 7 October, the Cairo Criminal Court decided on Thursday.
Today the court heard from the team representing the fourteenth defendant in the case, Ahmed Shiha, formerly a representative of the now-dissolved National Democratic Party in the People’s Assembly. His lawyers claimed that the investigations that led to the charges against Shiha are flawed.
Evidence based on eyewitness testimony is invalid, the defense argued, claiming such witnesses are biased due to their hostility towards the NDP and its members. Shiha accused one of the witnesses for the prosecution of perjury, and also claimed the evidence in the case is contradictory.
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 February, peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators were attacked by assailants in Tahrir Square, some of whom rode horses and camels. At least 11 protesters were killed.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
