MORSI'S TRIAL TO RESUME IN EGYPT WEDNESDAY

Cairo, 6 Rabi’ul Awwal 1435/8 January 2014 (MINA) – Ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is to stand trial for the accusation of ‘violence incitement’ relating to the deaths of protesters outside the presidential palace during clashes in December 2012.

Morsi was set to be airlifted by helicopter into Cairo’s police academy on Wednesday, where his trial is taking place. However, his flight has been delayed due to bad weather, according to state media. He is currently in a jail near the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

Up to 20,000 security forces were on high alert for his court appearance in the capital Cairo, according to the interior ministry, Al Jazeera quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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The son of ousted president Mohamed Morsi will be attending his father’s trial session in Cairo on Wednesday.

“We haven’t seen the president in a while and we need to check on him, especially after he was denied visits by his family and lawyers,” Osama Morsi told Anadolu Agency.

Osama will attend the court session as a defense lawyer in the case. He did not attend a first court session in November.

Meanwhile, a coalition led by the Brotherhood had called for a “million man march” to coincide with the hearing.

Ahead of the trial, clashes brokeout in Cairo’s Nasr City district, injuring several people, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent.

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Morsi first appeared in court in early November, insisting that he was still president and being held against his will.

A state prosecutor charged Morsi and 14 other Muslim Brotherhood members in 2013 with “committing acts of violence, and inciting killing and thuggery”, the state news agency reported.

The allegation relate to violence in which around a dozen people were killed outside the presidential palace in December 2012, after Morsi had ignited protesters’ rage with a decree that expanded his powers.

The episode was one of the most violent of his presidency.

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Morsi was ousted by its military just a year into his term following mass protests fuelled by opposition power.(T/P09/P03)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)