An Egyptian state security court took a hard line on Wednesday, preventing the lawyers of 52 defendants accused of illegal sex acts from obtaining a copy of the prosecutor general’s investigation documents.
Judiciary sources told Albawaba.com that the court’s decision was considered unusually harsh, though within the letter of the law.
Lawyers for both plaintiffs and defendants are routinely allowed to obtain copies of the prosecutor’s investigation documents, the sources added.
Taher Abul Naser, the lawyer at the human rights organization involved in following up on the case, told Albawaba.com that the defense team would try to meet with the head of the court on Thursday to convince him to permit the lawyers to obtain copies of the documents.
The defendants were arrested May 11 during festivities on a riverboat, and the international press has closely followed Egyptian legal proceedings based mainly on allegations that the accused were engaged in gay sex.
Two of the defendants face a maximum five-year jail term for allegedly showing contempt for religion and performing illegal sex acts.
The remaining 50 defendants face punishments ranging from fines - at the minimum - to a maximum of three years in jail for allegedly taking part in illegal sex acts.
The verdicts of Egyptian state security courts cannot be appealed, a fact that has spurred criticism from international human rights organizations. The next court session will be held on August 15 – Albawaba.com
