Alexandria Criminal Court on Wednesday postponed indefinitely the trial of police officers charged with killing and injuring protesters during the 25 January revolution. The court said it would only resume the trial when a “safe” place has been provided to review the case, a decision that angered family members of the revolution's victims who had gathered outside the courtroom. The court had been examining the case since mid-April. The defendants are accused of killing 96 people and injuring 490 during the protests on 28 January 2011, often called the Friday of Anger. Former Alexandria security chief Mohamed Ibrahim, former Central Security Forces chief Adel Taha al-Laqqany and other lower-ranking police officers stand trial in the case. In March, Laqqany and Ibrahim faced charges of participating in the premeditated murder of protesters in peaceful demonstrations that started on 25 January 2011. Laqqany and Ibrahim allegedly incited officers to assault the protesters. Other Alexandria police leaders face charges of murder and attempted murder of protesters. Meanwhile, dozens of activists and families of the revolution's victims staged a protest on the court's staircase in protest of the postponement of the case. No police or army forces were stationed around the court building. A security report submitted to the court on Wednesday deemed it difficult to secure the court building in light of the possibility of clashes breaking out anytime outside of it. The report called for conducting the trial outside densely populated areas or in Cairo. Clashes erupted outside the courtroom on Tuesday, prompting the intervention of military police. Mohamed Abdel Hady, the head of Alexandria Criminal Court, said the issue will be referred to the Alexandria Court of Cassation to decide on the best way to continue the trial. On Tuesday, the judge put off the review of the case until Wednesday after he had to adjourn the session twice over clashes between families of the revolution's victims and of the suspects despite the presence of security forces. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
