Mubarak’s trial resumes in Egypt
Posted December 28, 2011 7:50 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The trial of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, charged with the killing of protesters and abuse of power, resumed on Wednesday following a delay of almost two months while lawyers demanded a new judge.
Mubarak, his two sons, the former interior minister and senior police officers face a range of charges including involvement in the deaths of hundreds of protesters and corruption during his three decades in office.
Mubarak, who is being held under arrest in a hospital where doctors say he has a heart condition, was wheeled into the court on a hospital trolley covering his eyes with his arm and surrounded by police.
Previous sessions were marred by clashes outside the Cairo court building between Mubarak supporters and Egyptians demanding the death penalty for their former leader, but there were no scuffles as Mubarak arrived on Wednesday.
Around 850 people were killed in the 18-day uprising that overthrew Mubarak in February.
Lawyers representing families of those killed had filed a suit calling for presiding judge Ahmed Refaat and the two other judges to be replaced. The request was rejected.
Lawyer Sayed Fathi said that while it may be difficult to prove that Mubarak gave the order to fire on protesters, he is equally liable under the law for doing nothing to stop the killings once they started.
“What is proven and certain is that Mubarak knew that there were people being killed and injured on the streets of Cairo from January 25th on, and he had the power to stop these events. And he could have stopped the killing and the firing of live bullets on protesters but he did not do so,” he said.
Former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli and six senior police officers are also standing trial. Businessman Hussein Salem, a close associate of Mubarak, is being tried in absentia.
