Trial date set for ousted Egyptian president Morsi

An Egyptian court has set Nov. 4 as the start date for the trial of ousted President Mohamed Morsi on charges of incitement to murder for the killings of opponents who were rallying outside his palace in one of the deadliest bouts of violence during his year in office. 

The state news agency MENA said the Cairo Appeals Court ruled on Wednesday that Morsi and 14 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including his top aides, will be tried before a criminal court. 

The 62-year-old Morsi will be tried for allegedly inciting his supporters to kill at least 10 people, use violence and unlawfully detain and torture anti-Morsi protesters in December when at least 100,000 protesters gathered outside the presidential palace, protesting a decree Morsi issued to protect his decisions from judicial oversight and a highly-disputed draft constitution that was hurriedly adopted by the Islamist-dominated parliament.

The next day, Islamist groups and supporters of Morsi attacked protesters who had camped outside the presidential palace, sparking street battles that left at least 10 dead. The prosecution accuses Morsi of inciting his supporters and aides to murder his opponents by forcefully breaking up the sit-in.

Officials from the Muslim Brotherhood and its political party denied using violence and said their supporters were defending the palace. They accused opponents of starting the battles and forcing away police that had been guarding the area.

Morsi has been held at an unknown location since being removed from office by the military on July 3. He has seen his family just once in that time. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and an African Union delegation have also visited him.

The trial of Egypt's first freely-elected president is part of a wide crackdown on the Brotherhood that has eviscerated its leadership and much of its crucial mid-level organizers. More than 2,000 jailed Brotherhood members are facing prosecution in multiple cases, with at least half a dozen already referred to trial.

Morsi's supporters and opponents of military rule have demonstrated across the country since. Hundreds of people have died in clashes with security forces. 

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press