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Cairo: With the scene being set in Cairo for the trial of an Egyptian business tycoon in the murder of a Lebanese singer, voices are being raised demanding the hearings of the high-profile case be aired live on television.
On October 18, a criminal court is due to start the trial of Hesham Talaat Mustafa, an ex-chairman of one of Egypt's leading real estate developers, on charges of involvement in the slaying of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai on July 28.
Mohsin Al Sukkri, an ex-police officer, has claimed that Mustafa paid him $2 million (Dh7.34 million) to kill Tamim. Mustafa has denied the charges.
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"This trial has international dimensions. The victim is Lebanese; the defendants are Egyptians; and the murder was committed in Dubai," said Hatem Abdul Mohsin, a legal expert.
"The whole Arab world is eager to follow this trial. Allowing the trial to go on air will ensure transparency and justice for everyone involved in this case," Abdul Mohsin told Gulf News.
He confirmed that his demand does not contradict the Egyptian law.
"In fact, the Egyptian Criminal Procedures Law states that trial hearings should be made public in order to make everyone confident that the procedures are lawful. Still, the law has given the presiding judge the right to hold the trial behind closed doors if he deemed this is necessary to safeguard public morals." He noted that inquiries with the two defendants have already been carried in local newspapers.
Atef Al Menawi, the lawyer for the co-defendant Al Sukkri, agreed. He said broadcasting of the trial would not damage trial procedures. "I only object to this call if the aim is to tarnish the image of defendants and pre-judge the case," Al Menawi added. "Everyone, including defendants, stands to benefit from having the hearings accessible to the public."
Advocates of the suggestion argue that the live transmission would generate huge revenues through TV commercials, which can be spent on maintaining courtrooms in Egypt.
Others disagree, however. "The issue does not deserve all this fuss," Sami Azziz, a media professor, told the semi-official newspaper Al Ahram. "Besides, the airing of the court hearings may unfairly damage the reputation of the defendants. It would just serve to sensationalise the case."
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