Ousted President Mohammed Morsi's trial on charges of inciting the killing of anti-government protesters in 2012 was today adjourned till February 4, even as his lawyer claimed he was still Egypt's official ruler.
The Cairo Criminal Court, hearing the case against Morsi and 14 others, adjourned the trial till Tuesday, Ahram Online reported.
The 62-year-old leader and other defendants turned their backs to the judges during the hearing at the Police Academy here and raised their hands in a "Rabaa" sign - four fingers held up - that symbolises the violent police crackdown on pro-Morsi protesters in August last year.
During the hearing, Morsi's lawyer Mohamed Selim El-Awa contended he was still the president because he did not resign, there was no official order for his overthrow and the country's official newspapers did not publish an official decision on his removal.
The defendants are charged with inciting the murder of three persons at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in December 2012.
Morsi is also facing separate trials on charges related to 2011 jailbreaks, espionage and conspiring with foreign groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to commit terror acts and insulting the judiciary.
The defence lawyers denounced Interim President Adly Mansour's decision to constitute new courts to look into cases of terrorism. They said it was a clear sign that the executive was interfering with the judiciary.
Earlier, the court unsealed exhibits in the case, which consist of videotapes and pictures of the Ittihadiya clashes.
The trial relates to violence when thousands of Morsi's supporters attacked a small opposition sit-in staged to protest a constitutional declaration issued by him granting himself exceptional powers.
The clashes killed at least 10 people.
