'Hijacker won't get fair trial', Cairo court hears

Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa, an Egyptian who hijacked an EgyptAir passenger plane, is surrounded by policemen as he enters the Larnaca court.

A lawyer for a hijacker fighting extradition from Cyprus to Egypt has questioned the legitimacy of the government in Cairo, saying assurances from an unelected administration that his client will get a fair trial back in his homeland are "just words."

Robertos Vrahimis told a Cypriot court on Friday that human rights in Egypt aren't respected and that his 59-year-old client Seif Eddin Mustafa won't be tried fairly if the judge approves an extradition request.


Cypriot Justice Ministry official Yioulika Hadjiprodromou said Cypriot authorities are fully satisfied with Egypt's assurances that Mustafa will be treated fairly and have his rights safeguarded.

Mustafa laughed quietly and shook his head upon hearing Hadjiprodromou's translated testimony that Cypriot authorities have deemed that there's no danger of his rights being trampled on if he's extradited.