Egypt’s ex-President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib El-Adly to be retried

Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak during his trial

Egypt’s Cassation Court has ordered the retrial of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his aide, former Interior Minister Habib El-Adly.

Egypt’s ex-President and his Interior Minister have been accused of failing to prevent the killings and injuring of the peaceful protesters during January 25 Revolution in 2011 and have been sentenced to life in prison, while six other defendants, high ranking officers, were acquitted. This move sparked nationwide anger in Egypt.

After the Court has accepted the appeal filed by two former regime figures, the Cassation Court issued a verdict for retrial of Hosni Mubarak and Habib El-Adly.

I’d like to share here Ahram Online article which highlights this issue and contains some details.

The article is originally published here.

Egypt court orders retrial of Mubarak, El-Adly

Cassation court orders retrial of former strongman and interior minister Habib El-Adly, who were sentenced to life in prison for failing to prevent the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising

Ahram Online, AP, Sunday 13 Jan 2013

Egypt's Court of Cassation has ordered a retrial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and former interior minister Habib El-Adly, who were convicted for failing to prevent the killing of protestors during the January 25 Revolution.

The retrial was ordered after the appellate court accepted appeals lodged by the two former regime figures. Last June, Mubarak and El-Adly were sentenced to life in prison as a result of the conviction, while six high-ranking security officials were acquitted in the same case, sparking nationwide outrage.

A judge, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Ahram Online that last June's conviction against the ousted president and his interior minister were in reality deferred acquittals. The acquittals of the six high-ranking security officials effectively exculpated El-Adly and the former president, argues the judge.

On Saturday, Mubarak was remanded for 15 days pending further investigation into another corruption case in which he faces charges of appropriating LE6 million in public funds.

Investigations were carried out at a military hospital in Maadi where he was transferred from Torra Prison Hospital in December.

The security official says Mubarak was questioned over watches, pens, bags, belts and jewelry he reportedly received from the official Al Ahram newspaper.

The official did not say if any charges were pending over the alleged gifts. He spoke to AP anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to media.

The list of gifts is long and includes 36 named recipients, including Mubarak's wife Suzanne, his two sons, and his top associates including former information minister Safwat el-Sherif and former prime minister Ahmed Nazif.

The website for Al Ahram carried an official report estimating the value of the gifts at some six million Egyptian pounds, approximately $1 million. The newspaper said that "Al Ahram Gifts" was a ritual when the newspaper was run by Mubarak-era loyalists. Its management was changed following the uprising.

Many former members of Mubarak's regime have been charged with corruption or the killing of protesters during the uprising. Some are serving jail terms, others are detained pending trials, and others have been released after charges were dropped.

Prosecutors have so far been unable to convict Mubarak or his immediate family on corruption charges, although the two sons are still standing trial.