Source: Egypt’s Morsi to Face Trial on New Charges

Deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will face trial on charges of insulting the judiciary, a judicial source said on Sunday, a signal that Egyptian authorities have no intention of easing a crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood.

This is the fourth court case to face Morsi since he was ousted by the army in July after mass protests against his one-year rule.

Morsi and 25 others have been charged with insulting the judiciary, the source said.

Egypt has been stepping up pressure on the Brotherhood, which it has labeled a terrorist organization. It has arrested thousands of its leaders on accusations of violence.

The Brotherhood, once Egypt’s best-organized political and religious movement, which won five consecutive elections, denies any links to violence and accuses the army of staging a military coup.

The former president is due to appear in court on January 28 over a mass jail break in 2011. He also faces charges in connection with the killing of protesters and collaborating with the Islamist Hamas group and with Hezbollah to carry out a terrorist conspiracy against Egypt.

Egypt’s interim government is trying to push through a political plan that would lead to presidential and parliamentary elections this year, with army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seen as a likely candidate.

On Saturday, Egyptians passed a new constitution by a majority of 98.1 percent in a referendum boycotted by the Brotherhood.

Source: Reuters