Dublin teen Ibrahim Halawa to learn fate in third Cairo trial

The 19-year-old has had two trials cancelled at the last minute due to overcrowding in the courtroom.

He is due to face an Egyptian court again tomorrow.

Ibrahim is sharing a cell with three Al Jazeera journalists who were convicted on terrorism charges to international outcry.

Peter Greste, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed were handed sentences of between seven and 10 years each.

However, last week the Egyptian High Court order a retrial for the three men.

deportation

It has also emerged that two of the three prisoners have applied for deportation under a law introduced in November.

The new law allows foreign suspects to be deported and tried in their home countries.

Ibrahim was just 17 when he was arrested 17 months ago during city-wide protests and has spent 16 months in the notorious Torah prison - nicknamed locally as the 'Scorpion prison'.

During his time in the notorious jail, Ibrahim, who is the son of Ireland's most senior Muslim cleric, has been beaten by guards and has previously undertaken a hunger strike.

The teenager was arrested during the Al Fateh Mosque siege in the Egyptian capital in August 2013.

Military officers stormed the mosque in a series of attempts to quash pro-Morsi demonstrations that sprang up after the then President was ousted.

Three of Ibrahim's sisters were also jailed and spent three months in prison before they were released and returned home to Ireland.

conscience

Amnesty International and other human rights organisations have adopted the cause of the teenager who they say is a prisoner of conscience.

The student's first trial date last August ended in farce when the presiding judge walked out of the packed courtroom.

In December, the trial of Ibrahim and some 400 other defendants was once again pushed back.

His family have campaigned on his behalf in Ireland since his detention.

They have drawn attention to his poor treatment at the hands of the guards and his ill health.

hnews@herald.ie