All defendants accused of killing 17 protesters in Suez during the 25 January Revolution were ruled innocent by Suez Criminal Court on Thursday, state-owned Al-Ahram reported.

Among those cleared of charges were former Suez security director Mohamed Abdel Hady, former head of Central Security Forces (CSF) in Suez Alaa El Din Abdallah, seven CSF personnel, and car exhibition owner Ibrahim Farag, and his three sons.

The trial, which was held in the Fifth Settlement Court in Cairo for security reasons, was evacuated of crowds and journalists before commencing.

The court remained discretionary concerning why the defendants were found not guilty. The families of the Suez victims meanwhile vowed “revenge if the court does not grant retribution” for the previous trial in the same case, held 1 June 2013, according to state-owned Al-Ahram.

Ahmed El-Kilany, lawyer for Suez’s revolutionary victims, said that there is still a chance to overturn the court’s verdict. El-Kilany, who did not attend Thursday’s court session, added that the reasons for the verdict will be issued in a week.