The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush appeared before a judge Wednesday but in his jail cell, his brother said, alleging the reporter must have been too seriously wounded to appear in a courtroom. According to the AP, the family of Muntadhar al-Zeidi went to the Central Criminal Court expecting to attend a hearing, said his brother, Dhargham. He added they were told the investigative judge went to see him in jail and that they should return in eight days.
"That means my brother was severely beaten and they fear that his appearance could trigger anger at the court," he added.
Iraqi officials and another brother have denied that the journalist suffered severe injuries after he was wrestled to the floor.
Under the Iraqi legal system, the case is given to a judge who investigates the allegation, weighs the evidence and recommends whether to order a trial. The process can take months, and it is normal for initial hearings to be conducted informally rather than in a formalized setting common in U.S. and British courts.
Some 1,500 demonstrators took to the streets Wednesday in the Baghdad Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah to demand his release. Shiite lawmaker Bahaa al-Araji said he expected al-Zeidi to be freed on bail in the next few days while the investigative judge considers the case.
