Morsi’s retrial postponed to 7 June

CAIRO – May 2017: The Cairo Criminal Court adjourned on Wednesday the retrial of former president Mohamed Morsi, 25 members of the Muslim Brotherhood group and the supreme guide Mohamed Badei in the case known as “Hamas espionage” to 7 June.

Ousted President Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood supreme guide Mohamed Badei and 25 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, arrived at the Cairo Criminal Court on Wednesday morning to attend the retrial.

On May 8, the court postponed the retrial of Morsi to May 17, 2017; the defendants include senior brotherhood members Mohamed El-Beltagy, Essam El-Erian, and Badie, who were accused of "plotting against the interest of Egypt" with Palestinian group Hamas.

On May 6, Egypt's high court overturned a life sentence against Badei after he had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for "planning violent attacks" during a retrial on May 5.

Badie is one of a group of 37 people accused of plotting to spark unrest and chaos during an uprising that followed the removal of Morsi in July 2013.

In November 2016, the Cairo Court of Appeals repealed a death sentence and a life imprisonment verdict against defendants in the case.

It is pertinent to mention that Morsi came to power in 2012 following presidential elections. His toppling on June 30, 2013 took place after mass protests in opposition to his ruling.