CAIRO: The first hearing in the trial of two police officers accused to torturing to death lawyer Karim Hamdy in North Cairo’s Matariya police station was adjourned Saturday to July 28, Youm7 reported.
The Cairo Criminal Court issued a travel ban for the two officers while maintaining its previous decision to release them on bail pending trial.
Hamdy, 26, was pronounced dead in February 24; two days after he was arrested over allegedly being involved in violent acts against police and public utilities. Pictures of his bruised dead body were released on social media, and a forensic report has confirmed Hamdy sustained fractures to the ribs, among other fatal injuries.
In a video surfaced on social media after his death, Hamdy admitted to possessing firearms and giving instructions to someone to “protect” Friday pro-Muslim Brotherhood protests from the police.
The prosecution has accused the policemen, a lieutenant colonel and a major of beating Hamdy to coerce a confession.
Earlier on Saturday, journalists were told by security forces at the Police Academy that the hearing was transferred to be held in Police Trustees Institute in Torah Prison.
The head of the Lawyers’ Syndicate Sameh Ashour attended Saturday hearing as a defense in the case. The syndicate started today a partial strike against a recent incident of an alleged “assault” by a police officer on a lawyer.
Additional reporting by Hanan Fayed.