Ahram Online
"Alexandria Criminal Court adjourned on Saturday the retrial of the policemen accused of killing Khaled Said - an iconic face of Egypt's revolution - to 6 July and ordered their release.
The retrial, which began on Saturday, comes after the two defendants, Mahmoud Salah Mahmoud and Awad Ismail Soliman (both lower-ranking police officers) filed an appeal in December, arguing particular witnesses were 'dealt with lightly,' according to Reuters and are asking to repeal their seven-year jail sentences given by the Alexandria Criminal Court on 26 October.The court explains they must release them according to Article 143 of law 145, which sets a detention cap of 18 months.
The policemen were found guilty of illegal imprisonment and torture and violence. The family and supporters of the late 28-year-old Said were shocked at what they considered a light sentence.
According to Al-Ahram Arabic news website, families of the defendants attempted to attack Said's mother in the courtroom while the judges’ were deliberating the appeal.
Khaled Said's death caused a public outcry after photos of his battered face, allegedly at the hands of policemen from a notorious precinct, sent shockwaves throughout the internet. A call was sent out to protest in Tahrir Square on Cairo on National Police Day, on 25 January, 2011 via a Facebook page dedicated to his memory "We are all Khaled Said." This protest spiralled into a revolution, which succeeded in ousting former president Mubarak and end his 30-year rule."
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