ISTANBUL — An Egyptian criminal court stalled again May 9 on delivering a verdict against Shaiboub William Arsal, the Coptic Christian defendant in the highly-publicized El-Kosheh double-murder trial.
On May 7, the three-judge panel hearing Arsal’s case before the Sohag Criminal Court pledged to release their verdict May 9. Instead, citing “procedural technicalities,” the court postponed the decision until June 5.
“There was no reason not to announce the verdict May 9,” declared Mamduh Nakhla, one of the defense lawyers representing Arsal. “It does not need more time for deliberations, for thinking about it. This proves to me that the decision is purely political.”
Nakhla said he did not think it was a coincidence the court announced June 4, the same panel of judges would begin hearing a second El-Kosheh case. A total number of 136 suspects have been charged in a deadly rampage in the Upper Egypt village over New Year’s weekend. Christians bore the brunt of the carnage, with 21 Copts killed and 104 of their homes and businesses looted and destroyed.
“They will start these hearings on June 4, and then of course the next day, it will be linked to the decision they hand down on June 5,” Nakhla said.
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