Cairo's appeals court , 1,500 dollar Judicatial pay offs from Amir

CAIRO (AFP) - Cairo's appeals court rejected a request by firebrand opposition figure Ayman Nur that his forgery trial be handled by a new tribunal. The appeals court handed him a 9,000 Egyptian pounds (1,500 dollars) fine instead, judiciary sources told AFP. Nur's defense had filed a petition late last month rejecting the court, claiming that it had tacitly colluded with the prosecution and thus diminished the prospect of a fair trial. The defense's claim was not admissible "as there is no difference, animosity or friendship between the accused and the judge that would justify transferring the case to another tribunal," said the appeal court's verdict. Nur's lawyer Amir Salem protested the fine slapped on his client. "This fine amounts to a punishment and should have only been imposed if the defense's request had been made with a view to slowing or precluding progress in the trial which was not the case here," he told AFP. Nur's trial, which was adjourned on September 27 is due to shortly resume. The 40-year-old leader of the Ghad (Tomorrow) party is charged with forging affidavits allowing the creation of the party last year. He has always denied the charges, arguing they were trumped up to undermine his rise on the political scene. The politician was remanded in custody for six weeks earlier this year over the accusations, a detention that drew international criticism and propelled him into the spotlight. Nur was the runner-up in Egypt's first contested presidential election on September 7 that saw incumbent Hosni Mubarak sweep 88 percent of the vote.