CAIRO: The Judiciary Panel of the Cairo Criminal Court recused itself from the trial of Habib el-Adly, the former Minister of Interior, and his six assistants over the killing of demonstrators during the January 25 Revolution. The court also combined the trial of el-Adly and his six assistants, with the trial of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's, claiming that both are related and to prevent conflicting court verdicts. The merged trial will be held on August 3. After the announcement, attendants chanted “Allah u Akbar,” while the lawyers for el-Adly and Mubarak strongly objected. The lawyers for the accused worry the merged trial deal a blow to the credibility of the accused, and that the charges will be raised from misdemeanors to felonies. The State Judiciary Authority called on accused former regime members, including former president Mubarak, to pay 100 million EGP (U.S. $16.8 million) as interim civil compensation. During the announcement, private TV cameras belonging were prevented from broadcasting the trial el-Adly and his assistants, while only State Television cameras broadcast live. As a result, some scuffles between cameramen, television reporters and police security erupted. Defense attorneys condemned the verdict merging the trials particularly since the charge was enhanced to a felony. The trail was attended also by martyrs' relatives, many of whom chanted “invalid.” El-Adly has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for money laundering, and sentenced to another 5 years for the license plates case. Accused figures include Hassan Abdel-Rahman, dissolved Sate Security investigation body chairman, Adly Faid, former Minister of Interior assistant for public security and Ismail el-Shair, the former Minister assistant for central security. While the other two assistants, Osama al-Maraasy, police director in Giza, and Omar al-Faramawy Osama al-Maraasy, police director in Cairo suburb 6th of October City, had previously been released, the trial merger will reconsider their participation in the criminal events.
