CAIRO (AA) – A brother of ousted President Mohamed Morsi said he and other family members from Morsi's hometown in the Sharqiya province had been prevented from attending the first session of Morsi's trial, which kicked off on Monday.
"Morsi has done nothing wrong," Hussein Morsi told Anadolu Agency.
"How can a man who memorizes the Quran be accused of killing his own people?" he asked.
Hussein insisted that the trial "is not based on factual evidence," describing it as an "act of revenge against the Muslim Brotherhood," in reference to the group from which Morsi hails.
Morsi, along with 14 other defendants (including several other high-ranking Muslim Brotherhood officials), faces charges of inciting the murder of protesters outside Cairo's Ittihadiya presidential palace late last year.
Hussein predicted that Monday's protests in support of his brother would be "stronger than ever; the whole world will see it."
An alliance of Islamist forces and pro-democracy groups has urged Egyptians to stage mass demonstrations on Monday against Morsi's overthrow and subsequent trial.
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.
By Yasser Matari - Anadolu Agency
englishnews@aa.com.tr
