Egypt's Morsi trial over insulting judiciary postponed to July

Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday postponed to July 27 the trial of ousted Islamist Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi over charges of insulting the judicial authorities, state-run MENA news agency reported.

It was the first hearing od the case in which Morsi, along with 24 other Muslim Brotherhood members, Islamist figures, political activists and journalists, is accused of having shown disrespect for court rulings in comments on social media and in TV interviews.

Investigations revealed that Morsi had insulted judge Aly Mohamed Ahmed el Nemr in his presidential address on June 26, 2013, calling him a cheat, according to MENA.

Investigators had referred the defendants to court in January of last year and accused them of insulting judges with the aim to foment hatred.

The defendants allegedly insulted judges and the judicial system in interviews with TV channels and radio stations and in published articles, as well as on social media websites.

On May 16, the same court issued a preliminary death sentence against Morsi and 105 other defendants for 2011 jailbreak.

It was the second verdict against Morsi who was sentenced in April to 20 years in jail over ordering the arrest and torture of protesters in 2012.

Morsi was ousted by the army in July 2013 after mass protests against his one-year rule.

Since then, Morsi faced a number of charges including inciting violence, conspiring with foreign powers, killing protesters, some of which carry the death penalty.

Egyptian authorities designated the MB as a terrorist organization in 2013. A number of its leaders, including its supreme guide Mohammed Badie, were sentenced to death. However, the sentences have not been carried out and can be appealed. Endit