General prosecutor appeals acquittal of witnesses in Shaimaa al-Sabbagh’s murder

The general prosecutor appealed the court’s decision to acquit 17 people charged with violating the Protest Law for allegedly taking part in the demonstration in which Shaimaa al-Sabbagh was killed in January.

The Qasr al-Nil Misdemeanors Court had on Saturday acquitted 17 members of the Popular Socialist Alliance who had witnessed Sabbagh’s murder and were referred to trial by the prosecutor general.

Sabbagh was killed as security forces dispersed a peaceful march in Downtown Cairo organized by the Popular Socialist Alliance, of which she was a member, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of January 25.

The court scheduled the appeal for June 13.

The defendants in the case include Popular Socialist Alliance Party Deputy Head Zuhdi al-Shamy, lawyer Azza Soliman and leading leftist figure Ilhamy al-Merghani, among other members of the alliance. The list of defendants also included Sabbagh herself, who was later taken off the list, due to the expiration of criminal charges because of her death. 

Soliman says she did not take part in the organized protest, but happened to be situated in a cafe close by. According to the Freedom to the Brave page, Soliman had testified that Sabbagh was killed by police forces and was subsequently referred to trial.

A Central Security Forces police officer is currently on trial for Sabbagh’s murder after being referred by the general prosecutor to criminal prosecution on charges of “beating [her] to death.”