The Alexandria Criminal Court on Sunday postponed the trial of security officers accused of torturing a young Salafi man to death while he was in custody last January.

The court postponed the session to 17 March to hear witnesses’ testimonies as demanded by the defense lawyers.

Sunday’s session was the first in the trial for the five officers from the now-dissolved State Security Investigation Services. All face charges of torturing Sayed Bilal to death while investigating him as a suspect in the 2010 New Year’s Eve church bombing in Alexandria, which left 23 dead.

The trials were scheduled to start two months earlier but were delayed for security precautions.

A limited number of police secured the court session, and army forces were totally absent.

About 15 activists protested outside the court to denounce the slow pace of prosecutions and to demand retribution for Bilal’s death.

Defendants include Abdel Rahman al-Shimy, who is currently detained, and four others who are not detained: Hossam al-Shinnawy, Osama al-Konayesi, Ahmed Mostafa Kamel and Mahmoud Abdel Alim.

Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm