Morsi, Brotherhood lawyers not to withdraw from trials

CAIRO

Muslim Brotherhood leaders currently on trial for a range of alleged offenses have asked their defense lawyers to continue representing them despite complaints by the latter about the integrity of the trials, one of the lawyers said.

"Based on this [request by their clients], the defense team will carry on with its work with a view to achieving justice for the defendants by proving the falsehood of the charges arrayed against them," lawyer Osama al-Helw told Anadolu Agency.

Earlier this month, defense lawyers told AA that they were planning to withdraw from all legal cases against ousted president Mohamed Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood figures currently on trial to protest the "absence of justice" in the courtroom.

"Withdrawing from the trial would have served justice, but the defendants had another opinion," al-Helw said.

"The defense team remains committed to the defendants' decision to contest these cases, all of which are based on groundless charges," he added.

A Muslim Brotherhood source said that Morsi, who faces multiple criminal charges, did not have a say in the matter since he refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the trials.

Egypt's first freely-elected president, Morsi was ousted by the army in July of last year – after only one year in office – following opposition demonstrations.

His supporters call his ouster a military coup and continue to protest against his removal and subsequent imprisonment.

Morsi faces a host of charges including murder, espionage and jailbreak.

He, along with his co-defendants, insists that the charges against him are politically motivated.

According to sources close to the trial, defense lawyers have been frustrated by what they describe as "unjustified" and "illogical" court rulings against numerous Brotherhood leaders and sympathizers since Morsi's ouster almost 16 months ago.

www.aa.com.tr/en