Amnesty International Ireland has described the trial of a Dublin man being held in Egypt as a 'sham'.

The date for Ibrahim Halawa's trial has been pushed back for the fourth time.

The 19-year-old has been in prison for 541 days after being arrested during a protest at a Cairo mosque in August 2013.

The case of Mr Halawa will now be heard on March 29th.

The Dubliner was arrested at a protest at the Al-Fath mosque, following protests against the ousting of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

He was charged - along with hundreds of others - with charges of murder, attempted murder and participating in an illegal protest.

Amnesty International has hit out at his treatment and named him a Prisoner of Conscience. The European Parliament has also been asked to ensure Mr Halawa gets a fair trial.

Speaking following the postponement of the hearing in Cairo this morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said: "I am disappointed to learn of the further delay today and concerned that the Egyptian authorities continue to consider Ibrahim's case as part of a group trial."

"I have personally raised the government's concerns about this case with my Egyptian counterpart on a number of occasions."

"Officials in Dublin and Cairo have been working actively on this case, and have been in on-going and sustained contact with the Egyptian authorities and international partners." 

"My department will continue to take all appropriate action to ensure Ibrahim's welfare, and to seek a review of his case, his release and return to his family and his studies," he added.

Executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, Colm O'Gorman, says there is no basis for his arrest and detention.

Originally posted at 12.58pm