The trial of deposed President Mohamed Morsi and 14 others accused of inciting the killing of protesters outside the Presidential Palace in December 2012, was postponed until Wednesday in order to hear more witness testimonies, reported state-run MENA. The Cairo Criminal Court heard the testimonies of five prosecution witnesses on Tuesday and will hear from five more on Wednesday. Among the 14 other defendants in the case are Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Chairman Saad Al-Katatni, senior FJP member Mohamed Al-Beltagy and ultraconservative preacher Wagdy Ghoneim. In December 2012 people took to the Itihadiya Palace to protest Morsi's decision to issue a decree that made his decisions exempt from judicial oversight. The sit-in was attacked and resulted in violent clashes leaving at least 10 dead. Morsi is also the co-defendant in three other trials: escaping from Wadi El-Natrun Prison on 28 January 2011, insulting the judiciary, and espionage by working with foreign Islamist groups to "create chaos" in Egypt. Badie was among 683 people who received preliminary death sentences from the Minya Criminal Court at the end of April. He also stands accused of killing two police officers and breaking into a police station on 14 August. The decision has been referred to Grand Mufti Shawki Allam for consideration, but he is neither required to provide an opinion nor is any opinion he provides legally binding.
