Ibrahim Halawa’s Trial Has Been Delayed For The 19th Time

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Irishman Ibrahim Halawa’s case has been adjourned for the nineteenth time today.

As of today, Halawa has spent 1,277 days in an Egyptian prison in Cairo awaiting his highly-anticipated trial, according to Amnesty International. Halawa was a child when he was first arrested back in August 2013, and faces a possible death penalty.

Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland said:

“Ibrahim’s innocence has been further vindicated by Egypt’s own legal system, which following a technical review of video material from the night of his arrest, found no evidence against him.

It tallies with what Amnesty researchers on the ground at the time assert, that Ibrahim was in al-Fath mosque and could not have committed the violent crimes with which he has been charged.

Amnesty International has also conducted a thorough, independent review of the prosecution evidence and concluded that Ibrahim was arrested solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of assembly and expression. This report validates that conclusion.

It is long past time that this young Irish citizen should be released and allowed to return home to Dublin. He has now spent almost three and a half years living in truly horrific conditions in different Egyptian prisons and has endured 19 trial delays.

Ibrahim is a Prisoner of Conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and assembly. His continuing imprisonment represents an inexcusable violation of both international and Egyptian law.”

Halawa was just 17-years-old when he was first detained.

The defendant faces a mass trial alongside 500 other defendants. This trial, therefore, simply cannot meet the standards required for a fair trial as defined under international human rights law.

His trial has been rescheduled for March 22.