Criminal court acquits Beladi society of human trafficking charges

Cairo Criminal Court on Sunday acquitted eight defendants of Beladi non-governmental society of charges of human trafficking, abduction of children and sexual abuse.

The eight defendants faced seven charges, ranging from running an unlicensed organization and inciting street children to join pro-Muslim Brotherhood protests to sexually assaulting minors.

The case against Beladi dates back to May 1, 2014, when police raided the society’s headquarters downtown Cairo, arresting all those found on its premises after a man had pressed charges against the NGO, claiming that its members had kidnapped his son.

Medical checks have revealed that five children have been sexually assaulted.

Former prosecutor general Hisham Barakat ordered the defendants to be referred to criminal court in September 2014.

Held in pre-trial detention for the past 751 days, since May 1, 2014, are the two founders of the Beladi society – the Egyptian-American Aya Hegazy, and her husband Mohamed Hassanein who are facing trial alongside six others.

All the defendants have adamantly denied and dismissed the charges leveled against them.

Source: MENA