Elizabeth HagedornOne year ago, he was serving as Egypt’s first democratically elected president. Wednesday, Mohammed Morsi was to stand trial for murder.
He and 14 others are charged with inciting the killing of protesters during these demonstrations outside Cairo’s presidential palace a year ago — charges his supporters say are politically motivated. (Via CBS)
But authorities say bad weather prevented Morsi from traveling to the courtroom, and they have adjourned the trial until next month. (Via BBC)
Still, critics argue the trial was delayed for another reason. Next week, Egypt is due to vote on a national referendum — a referendum Morsi’s supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood have already said they’ll boycott.
As the Los Angeles Times puts it, “a show of renewed defiance from Morsi could have served to energize his beleaguered followers.”
His original trial date in November, after all, was adjourned after intense riots made the courtroom proceedings impossible. (Via RT)
“That strategy of the Muslim Brotherhood if to make the military-led government as unstable as possible to really frustrate the military led government’s efforts to say we have security. We have stability.” (Via Voice of America)
Morsi was, of course, ousted from power this summer in a military-backed coup. Since then, his Islamist supporters have staged protests, calling for his reinstatement. (Via Ahram Online)
In turn, the military-backed interim government cracked down on the group, throwing thousands in jail and recently designating the Brotherhood a terrorist organization. (Via The New York Times)
Morsi faces a slew of other charges, including fraud and a conspiracy to commit terrorism. If convicted, some of his charges could carry the death penalty.
