The second hearing in the trial of Patrick Zaki took place at the Mansura court and lasted only two minutes during which, as reported by sources of the defense college, his lawyer Hoda Nasrallah asked for a postponement in order to study the documents. The lawyer also asked for a certified copy of the file since so far she has only had access to it in consultation with judicial offices, without being able to study it properly. The single judge withdrew to decide on the request, the sources specified, summarizing what Nasrallah said near the judge’s bench.
Patrick did not speak during the hearing. To justify the request for postponement, Hoda argued that it was Zaki himself who asked for it as “he is not satisfied” with the defense since she was able to read the documents in the Prosecutor’s Office only “quickly”, said a lawyer present in the courtroom. who preferred to remain anonymous.
Zaki brought to the defendant’s cage in handcuffs
At the Mansura Court, Patrick Zaki was taken to the defendants’ cage in handcuffs, which were then removed from him after less than five minutes. A few minutes after Patrick entered the defendants’ cage, before his hearing even started, the session was interrupted and Patrick talked to two lawyers and drank some water. Father and sister sat a couple of meters from the cage.
‘Brought handcuffed to the defendant’s cage, like a dangerous criminal. Patrick Zaki is quite the opposite ». This is how the spokesperson for Amnesty International in Italy, Riccardo Noury, commented on the treatment reserved to the researcher on Twitter.
Egyptian minister: judicial authority decides on the case
“It is a matter that is being dealt with in court right now by the judicial authorities and as a minister I cannot comment. Our institutions are independent. I hope it turns out well ». This was stated by Tarek El Molla, Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources of Egypt about the case of Patrick George Zaki, interviewed by TgR Emilia-Romagna on the sidelines of Omc-Offshore Mediterranean Conference and Exhibition, the energy exhibition at the start in Ravenna. On the stage of OMC, in the opening greetings, it was the mayor of Ravenna, Michele De Pascale, who brought the Zaki case to the attention of the audience. «As a campus of the University of Bologna we hope that Patrick Zaki will be able to return to his studies soon. Economic development and the protection of human rights are inseparable for us, ”said the mayor who refused the seat next to the Egyptian minister in the ritual photo of the event.