By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s overthrown President, Mohamed Morsi, appeared in court in Cairo on Tuesday to face charges stemming from a 2011 prison break. Morsi is accused of organizing a large-scale breakout from the Wadi al-Natrun prison and the subsequent murders of police officers during the jailbreak.

Morsi is also accused of colluding with foreign forces, Hamas and Hezbollah, to plan and execute the prison break. Members of both organizations are on trial with Morsi for charges relating to the event. In total another 130 individuals are on trial for the prison break events, but many of them remain on the run.

The prison break was one of a number that occurred during the 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. During the 2011 revolution more than 20,000 inmates escaped from Egyptian prisons.

Morsi and the other defendants are appearing in a sound-proof glass box surrounded by a cage for the duration of the trial. At one point, journalists were given the chance to hear what was going on in the glass cage.

The defendants were heard chanting “Down with military rule” and the judge quickly cut off the sound. The defendants also made the four-finger “Rabaa” protest sign, which is linked to the pro-Morsi Rabaa al-Adawiya square protest camp that was cleared in August.

At one point Morsi demanded to know the identity of the court’s judge to which the judge replied, “I’m the head of the criminal court.” Additionally, Morsi shouted a handful of statements at the court that maintained he was still the President and that the conditions of his imprisonment were unsuitable.

There were pro-government crowds outside the courthouse, but no pro-Morsi supporters. The Muslim Brotherhood has been declared a terrorist organization and it is now illegal to show any public support for the Brotherhood or Morsi.

The trial was adjourned until February 22. Morsi currently facing four different criminal trials on separate charges some of which are punishable by death.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Morsi faces court over Egypt prison break – 28 January 2013

BBC – Egypt ex-President Morsi defiant at jailbreak trial – 28 January 2013

New York Times – Egypt Locks Morsi in Soundproof Cage During Trial – 28 January 2013

USA Today – Ousted Egypt leader shouts at judge during trial – 28 January 2013