Cairo: An Egyptian court acquitted six police on Saturday of killing protesters during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak, as his now deposed Islamist successor Mohamed Morsi went back on trial.
The acquittal of the six officers on charges of killing 83 protesters outside police stations in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, came as a Cairo court resumed the trial of Morsi on charges of plotting violence during the revolt.
Morsi was toppled by the military in July last year following mass protests demanding his resignation. Since then he and his Muslim Brotherhood have been retroactively accused of committing much of the violence during the anti-Mubarak uprising.
Saturday's hearing was the second of the trial, after an opening hearing in January. It is one of three faced by Morsi.
Many of those who died were killed outside police stations when protesters attacked what they saw as symbols of Mubarak's autocratic rule.
Most have been acquitted. Earlier this month, another court overturned the conviction of a policeman sentenced to five years on charges of killing 18 protesters.
In the three years since Mubarak's overthrow, blame for the killings during the uprising has shifted to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood as the police force has rehabilitated itself in public opinion.
That narrative of events has gained wider public acceptance amid a backlash against Morsi's Brotherhood following his single, turbulent year in power.
He faces a separate trial for espionage, in which he is accused of having plotted with foreign militants and governments to conduct attacks in the country.
The retrial of Mubarak, and seven police commanders, on charges of involvement in the killings of protesters is still continuing.
The acquittal of the six officers on charges of killing 83 protesters outside police stations in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, came as a Cairo court resumed the trial of Morsi on charges of plotting violence during the revolt.
Morsi was toppled by the military in July last year following mass protests demanding his resignation. Since then he and his Muslim Brotherhood have been retroactively accused of committing much of the violence during the anti-Mubarak uprising.
Saturday's hearing was the second of the trial, after an opening hearing in January. It is one of three faced by Morsi.
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Many of those who died were killed outside police stations when protesters attacked what they saw as symbols of Mubarak's autocratic rule.
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Most have been acquitted. Earlier this month, another court overturned the conviction of a policeman sentenced to five years on charges of killing 18 protesters.
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In the three years since Mubarak's overthrow, blame for the killings during the uprising has shifted to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood as the police force has rehabilitated itself in public opinion.
Advertisement
That narrative of events has gained wider public acceptance amid a backlash against Morsi's Brotherhood following his single, turbulent year in power.
Advertisement
He faces a separate trial for espionage, in which he is accused of having plotted with foreign militants and governments to conduct attacks in the country.
The retrial of Mubarak, and seven police commanders, on charges of involvement in the killings of protesters is still continuing.
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