Former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, ousted in a popular revolt, on Tuesday faced prosecutors who would grill him on charges of ordering the killing of anti-regime protesters, abuse of office and corruption.
Prosecutors accused Hosni Mubarak as a ‘tyrannical leader’ and sought ‘harshest penalty’ for the ailing 83-year-old deposed Egyptian dictator on charges of ordering of the killing of over 800 anti-regime protesters, abuse of office and corruption.
They are set to present its arguments in this session that is expected to last over three days. The ailing former president Mubarak, 83, was wheeled in the courtroom on a stretcher and his sons Gamal and Alaa, also facing charges, were present.
Egypt's former interior minister Habib al-Adly and six top police officers are also being tried together in a Cairo court. Mubarak and his aides are charged with being complicit in the killing of over 800 protesters during a popular uprising last year that ousted his regime. If convicted, Mubarak could face the death penalty.
The accused also face corruption charges. Mubarak's trial had resumed on Wednesday after a three- month hiatus that saw other major developments like fresh protests and clashes and an Islamists' election victory eclipse his trial. Official TV and for the first time zoomed in on the helicopter and showed the stretcher waiting for the ousted president.
Mubarak, who was ousted in a popular uprising last year, was "a tyrannical leader who sought to hand power to his younger son Gamal, who spread corruption in the country and opened the door to his friends and relatives, ruining the country without any accountability," chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman told the Cairo court.
Mubarak was shown carried out of the plane on a stretcher and being moved to the ambulance's stretcher. The TV has earlier showed armoured vehicles transferring Alaa and Jamal, as well as el-Adli and his aides from prison to court. The former minister of interior was seen smiling. Mubarak, his sons, and former minister of the interior and his top aides are accused of inciting to kill protestors during January Revolution.
Mubarak and his aides are charged with being complicit in the killing of over 800 protesters during a popular uprising last year that ousted his regime. If convicted, Mubarak could face the death penalty. The accused also face corruption charges. Mubarak's trial had resumed on Wednesday after a three- month hiatus that saw other major developments like fresh protests and clashes and an Islamists' election victory eclipse his trial.
Official TV and for the first time zoomed in on the helicopter and showed the stretcher waiting for the ousted president. Mubarak was shown carried out of the plane on a stretcher and being moved to the ambulance's stretcher. The TV has earlier showed armoured vehicles transferring Alaa and Jamal, as well as el-Adli and his aides from prison to court.
The former minister of interior was seen smiling. Mubarak, his sons, and former minister of the interior and his top aides are accused of inciting to kill protesters during January Revolution. Mubarak is the first leader toppled in the Arab Spring uprisings to appear in court.
The hearings began on August 3 after months of protests to pressure Egypt's military rulers to place the former president on trial along with ex-regime officials. There was a three months hiatus when lawyers for the victims had tried to dismiss Judge Refaat, whom they accused of bias towards the defence, a request that was subsequently denied.
Suleiman's comments came in the first of three days of trial, in which the prosecution will state its case against Mubarak and 10 others, including his two sons Gamal and Alaa, his security chief and a close associate, who is now a fugitive.
The ailing former president Mubarak was wheeled in the courtroom on a stretcher. Suleiman delivered a scathing attack on Mubarak's 30-year reign, describing him as a corrupt man with lust for power.
"He deserves an end of humiliation and indignity from the presidential palace to the defendants' cage and then the harshest penalty," Suleiman said.
Judge Ahmed Refaat heard from the prosecution for an hour before adjourning the hearing to Wednesday. The prosecution presented its arguments in this session that is expected to last over three days. Egypt's former interior minister Habib al-Adly and six top police officers are also being tried together in a Cairo court.