Judge steps down in Shura Council case, grants defendants bail

The Cairo Criminal Court released Alaa Abd El Fattah, along with two other defendants, on LE5,000 bail in the ongoing Shura Council case on Monday. The judge presiding over the case also stepped down.

The court ordered the footage shown during the last court session be referred to the General Prosecution, to investigate those responsible for including it with the evidence, state-owned Al-Ahram reported. 

Last week, the prosecution showed footage that was seemingly unrelated to the case, including personal videos of Abd El Fattah’s family. The videos came from his laptop, which was taken without a warrant at the time of his arrest. The video evidence also included footage of other protests and the demonstration outside parliament after it was dispersed.

Abd El Fattah and 24 others were sentenced to 15 years jail in absentia and a LE100,000 fine last June, but only he and fellow defendants Mohamed Noubi and Wael Metwally were arrested outside the Police Academy at Tora prison the morning of the trial.

Last month, Abd El Fattah launched an open-ended hunger strike against his detention.

The defendants are accused of organizing an unauthorized protest outside the Shura Council in Cairo, attacking a police officer, stealing a walkie-talkie, hooliganism, aggression against police officers, blocking the road, crowding a public place and destruction of public property, state-owned website Ahram Gate reported.