Trump pleads not guilty in Georgia election fraud case

Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty in his Georgia election fraud case, waiving the right to appear in court next week.

Mr Trump is among 19 people charged with a conspiracy to overturn the US state's 2020 election results.

He turned himself in at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta last week, where he had his mugshot taken.

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as politically motivated.

In a court document filed on Thursday, Mr Trump said that he "fully understands" the nature of the offences and his right to appear at an arraignment in court.

"Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court," the signed document says.

Mr Trump, the current frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has appeared at each of his three previous arraignments.

He was required to do so for the cases he is facing in New York and Florida, and opted to not request a virtual appearance for a separate case in Washington DC.

Source: BBC