CAIRO, Jan 28 (Aswat Masriya) – The trial of columnist and poet Fatima Naoot for "contempt of religion" was postponed to February 25, after hearing the first session on Wednesday.

Naoot is facing trial because of comments she made on Facebook in October, criticising the Islamic ritual of sacrificing animals on the day of Eid al-Adha.

Legal adviser of the Press Syndicate, lawyer Sayed Abu Zeid, who attended the session on Wednesday on behalf of the syndicate, said the syndicate "very strongly stands with Naoot" because she expressed her opinion in a joke on Facebook.

Abu Zeid said this case is specifically releated, "to freedom of expression and opinon."

Following the postponement, Naoot wrote a statement on Facebook, thanking her lawyer and everyone who has shown solidarity with her, whether by attending the session or writing articles and statements.

In a statement today, the Arab Network for Human Rights Information called for dropping the charges against Naoot.  The NGO said this trial should not have been brought to court in the first place.

"Regardless of agreement or disagreement [with opinions], citizens do not have the right to appoint themselves as agents of religion and society" and to legally pursue people with different opinions, the statement read.   

Naoot was referred to criminal court by prosecutors in December for "contempt of the Islamic religion and mockery of an Islamic ritual" after a group of lawyers filed a complaint against her.

During the religious holiday, Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter cattle in a symbol of sacrifice. Naoot described the act as an annual "massacre".

In reference to Prophet Ibrahim, she said, "although the "nightmare" of one of the pious men concerning his righteous son has passed in peace, helpless creatures pay the price every year for this "holy nightmare".