Egypt court dismisses Brotherhood appeals to change judges

An Egyptian court dismissed on Wednesday Muslim Brotherhood appeals to change the judges panel for their espionage and jailbreak trials, official news agency MENA reported.

The Cairo Appeal Court refused the requests submitted by Brotherhood top leaders in the same cases that included ousted president Mohamed Morsi himself, and fined them 6,000 Egyptian pounds (860 U.S. dollars) for each case.

The defendants claimed the court presided by judge Shaaban Shamy was "biased" and its procedures are "null," saying the court violated the constitution by publicizing the trial and by putting them in a glass cages that obstructed communication with the judge and their lawyers.

Morsi and other top leaders of his Muslim Brotherhood group are facing charges of killing protesters, colluding with foreign groups against Egypt's national security and escaping from prison during the January 25 uprising that ousted former leader Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi was also referred to criminal court over "insulting judiciary," though the trial date hasn't been set yet.