ANKARA (AA) - Turkish human rights associations organized a protest today in front of the Egyptian embassy in Ankara against Mohamed Morsi's trial and the military coup in Egypt.
Dozens of protesters raised slogans such as “Dictators can’t judge elected president Morsi” and “Down with the bloody coup” along with Rabia’s sign, the four-finger salute commemorating the hundreds of pro-democracy protesters killed and injured when security forces violently dispersed the Rabaa sit-in on August 14 this year.
“We are here as freedom defenders to condemn the unfair trial of the elected president Morsi," said one of the protesters to Anadolu Agency’s reporter. "We call on all the freedom defenders arround the world to stand by Morsi and support the true will of Egyptian people.”
IHH and Ozgur-Der, both Turkish NGOs, said in a press release that what happened in Egypt was a military coup and that the ousted president Morsi should be instantly released.
Mohamed Morsi was brought to a Cairo courthouse on Monday morning from a secret location where he has spent a four-month detention. It's his first public appearance since his ouster in a coup on July 3.
Along with 14 senior members of his Muslim Brotherhood party, Morsi is accused of inciting the murder of protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012. If convicted, Morsi could face the death penalty.
- Turkish NGOs present petition to Global Court of Conscience over coup in Egypt
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation and Ozgur-Der (The Freedom Association), two Turkish non governmental organisations presented a petition to the prosecution office of Egyptian Global Court of Conscience in Turkey's Istanbul city on Monday to carry on a law-suit against coup makers in Egypt.
In the petition, Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and all other responsible individuals, which carry out the illegal orders were specified as suspects, for committing crimes against humanity.
They were found guilty for the attacks and massacres on August 14, 2013, where the Egyptian Health Ministry reported the death toll as 525 and Esmaa al-Beltagy, Mohamed al-Beltagy's daughter was killed, besides the protestors, who had gathered on August 16, 2013.
The blockade of al-Fath mosque in Ramses Square, where the community inside called for help after the morning prayer on August 16, and the capture of two correspondents, Metin Turan, a Turkish correspondent of Turkish State Television (TRT) and Hiba Zekeriyah, an Anadolu Agency correspondent were amongst the accusations to open a law-suit.
Having attended the ceremony, Abdurrahman Dilipak, the spokesperson of R4bia Platform stated the court may form a basis for the solution process for the recent incidents in Egypt and added it would also be a response to those, who would 'attempt' to make a coup in the future.
"This case is not the one of others. It belongs to all of us. We will make a note in the history," Dilipak said.
Morsi who has spent the last 213 days in detention since his July 3 ouster by the military, made his first public appearance on Monday.
Morsi's trial was adjourned to January 8, and police near High Court of Justice in Cairo stated clashes took place between Morsi supporters.
Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected leader, was ousted by the military on July 3 after only one year in office following large demonstrations against his presidency.
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