The Alexandria Military Court, looking into the case of the 13 workers of the Alexandria Shipyard Company, postponed the session to 16 July, according to lawyer Mohamed Awad.
Awad told Daily News Egypt that the court decided to add a new defendant in the case, Mohamed Shaaban, making the total number of defendants 26.
The military prosecution ordered the detention of Shaaban and added his name to the original list, which accuses the workers of protesting and inciting their colleagues to strike.
Currently, 15 workers are present and standing trial.
At the next session the court will be given a detailed report illustrating the role of every defendant in the charges, Awad said, adding that the report will be written by the company’s head manger.
The manger is a retired army general named Abdel Hamid Hussien.
The court previously listened to the testimonies of security officers, who usually work in intelligence, and were in charge of writing the initial intelligence report for the factory.
The workers demonstrated against deteriorating pay and inadequate health and safety procedures in the company.
On 24 May, the company’s administration refused to meet the demands. They imposed a lockout by security forces, and all production and services at the yard were brought to a halt.
Up to this day, 10 labour and professional unions, nine political parties and political movements, and nine human rights organisations and groups have signed a petition entitled “against the military trials of the workers”.
The Alexandria Shipyard Company falls under the supervision and administration of the Ministry of Defence and Military Production as of 2007. The company stands as one of the 1960s main industrial projects in Alexandria in the maritime field. The company is one of several economic projects that are controlled by the Egyptian Armed Forces. The complex contains 2,500 workers who are civilians.
