Rahman's defence speaks at Mubarak trial

Cairo Criminal Court headed by Judge Ahmed Refaat resumed the second day of the defence trial of Hassan Abdel Rahman, the former head of the State Security Investigation Services, who is accused, together with the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, former Interior Minister Habib Al-Adly and five of his top aides, of killing protesters of the January 25 revolution. Abdel Rahman’s lawyer Mohamed Hisham said that the public prosecutor presented the defendants for the trial as participants with the absence of a doer, with no evidence for that. The lawyer also pointed that the number of the injuries reported by the prosecution in the committal order indicates that more than one tool was used, which means that there are other perpetrators apart from the Police. Rahman referred to Ismail El-Shaer, the former director of public security department, who stressed that they received instructions calling for self-control, not for responding to the protesters' provocation. El-Shaer also said that they were told to treat women properly, pointing that any woman said the contrary, apart from "Sally Zahran, who is said to have committed suicide," he said. He added that people's fear of the Police led them to lose control and to act haphazardly, which denies the charge of premeditated murder. The defence quoted witnesses as saying that Police officers affirmed that the weapons used on January 25, 26, 27  2011 during the clashes were shields, sticks and tear gas and that no instructions have been issued on January 28 (Rage Friday). Moreover Rahman described what happened that day as a scheme for the downfall of the Police, and hence of the whole country. A state of tranquillity spread in front of the Police Academy, where nor the martyrs' families nor the supporters of the former president showed up to protest. However, in the front yard were the vehicles of the armed forces carrying new banner stating "Army and the People are one hand" and "The Army is at service of the People.”