Halawa's trial in Egypt postponed

The trial of an Irish teenager in Egypt for charges relating to a protest in Cairo has been postponed.

19-year-old Dubliner Ibrahim Halawa has been in custody since August 2013, when he and his three sisters were detained in the capital city.

His sisters were freed after three months – however Ibrahim has been held on charges of murder, attempted murder and participating in an illegal protest.

The trial was due to start today but has been postponed until February.

Somaia Halawa said members of the family who are in Cairo for the trial did not get to see her brother today.

"That case - less than an hour and it was finished. They did not give a reason why it was postponed," she said.

"My sister was telling me they didn't even bring the prisoners … to the court case, so they ended up staying in the prison."

Amnesty International says Halawa's charges are "trumped up", and he cannot expect justice. The organisation claims all charges against him should be dropped.