CAIRO: The Qasr El Nil Misdemeanor Court on Saturday postponed the trial of activist Ahmed Saad Abu Doma to May 15. Abu Doma, who claims he was tortured, is to remain in custody until then. The April 6 Youth Movement activist is charged with assaulting two police officers, intentionally causing damage to state property and illegal gathering. Abu Doma was referred to an emergency trial after being arrested during his participation in the MP demonstration on May 3, to call for the annulment of the emergency law. The trial was held amid intensive security procedures. State Security forces and riot police surrounded the court building in Abdin, as activists demonstrated for Abu Doma's release. The session was attended by a large number of lawyers affiliated with the Front for the Defense of Egypt's Protestors, made up of nearly 40 rights organizations that aim to provide protestors with legal support and information. The defense team requested postponing the hearing so they could check the case file, to which they had no access during the prosecution investigations. They also requested the suspect's release to ensure his safety, saying he's being detained by his adversaries in the case. The head of the court ignored this remark, and instead addressed Abu Doma, listing the charges he faced, which include injuring two lieutenants, Ahmed Hazem and Moustafa Farouk. Abu Doma denied the charges. The court then decided to postpone the case to give the lawyers the opportunity to examine the files and prepare their defense. Abu Doma told Daily News Egypt at the court that he was subjected to all kinds of torture and was beaten during his detention. “They threatened to fabricate a number of charges against me if I talked about the torture,” he said. The April 6 Youth Movement, the Kefaya Movement for Change and a number of young activists organized a sit in in-front of the court, calling for Abu Doma's release. They carried pictures of Abu Doma and banners condemning his arrest. They chanted slogans in solidarity with him, including "Ahmed Abu Doma, you are a hero liberating the nation."
