The Prisons Sector prevented the defense team of toppled President Mohamed Morsy from visiting him in Borg al-Arab Prison Thursday despite obtaining a permit from east Cairo prosecutor Mostafa Khater, according to lawyers.
The Interior Ministry claimed the defense team was dismissed due to security concerns.
Lawyer Ali Kamal said the police refused to admit also Morsy’s son Osama who accompanied the lawyers. “We arrived at prison at 9:15am and the security forces kept us waiting for 15 minutes behind the security barrier,” said Kamal.
“This is the second time have been denied visit to Morsy in two weeks, which raises suspicions that he has been transferred outside the prison,” he added.
Kamal said the defense team will hold a meeting to discuss legal measures they should take against the Interior Ministry.
An Interior Ministry source said the Prisons Sector prevented visits to Morsy for fear on his life in accordance with the Prisons Act of 1956.
Preventing visits to Morsy would preserve the integrity of investigations as well as Morsy’s life, the source told Al-Masry Al-Youm, pointing out that violence occurred in streets after the defense team visited Morsy last time because he issued a statement from his detention.
Morsy’s son, Osama, commented on the incident on his Facebook account saying: “We have been prevented from visiting the president. Undoubtedly, he is abducted and not in Borg al-Arab Prison.”
Morsy was taken to Borg al-Arab Prison in Alexandria pending trial over charges of inciting the killing of protesters during clashes outside Ettihadeya Presidential Palace in December 2012. His next trial session was adjourned to 8 January.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
