CAIRO ? Former President Hosni Mubarak returned to a Cairo court Monday on a stretcher for the next session of his trial on charges of corruption and complicity in killing protesters during Egypt's uprising.
The ailing, 83-year old Mubarak arrived in a helicopter from a Cairo hospital where he has been held since his first court appearance on Aug. 3. He was then wheeled into the metal defendants' cage on a bed with his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, by his side. The sons are facing only corruption charges.
Mubarak appeared in a blue jumpsuit. His two sons wore white prison uniforms. As is traditional in Egyptian trials, they were inside a metal defendants' cage.
The trial of Mubarak, who ruled with unquestioned power for 29 years, was one of the main demands of the protesters who forced the longtime leader out of office in Feb. 11. It came after weeks of protests and street pressure on the country's military rulers, who took charge after Mubarak stepped down.
The start of the trial was a relief for many protesters. But many are still wary that it may come at the expense of other changes the protest movement is pushing for. Many protesters are mistrustful of the ruling generals and wonder if they are really willing to weed out former regime officials or introduce drastic political reforms.
Still the military rulers have tried to reassure the public they are committed to democratic elections before the year is out.
The ruling generals are showing signs of impatience with the continued street pressure, particularly from an increasingly disparate political groups. On Sunday, a prominent protest leader and woman activist was charged with insulting the military council and inciting violence against it, in one of the most serious accusation against activists seen as an attempt to stifle criticism.
Still, Mubarak's trial was closely watched. Scores of pro- and anti Mubarak supporters rallied outside the courthouse, and briefly clashed. Hundreds of Mubarak supporters protested outside the courtroom over what they called "humiliation" of the former leader.
Mubarak is charged with complicity in the killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him and of corruption in accepting gifts to facilitate a land deal.
His former interior minister, once in charge of the police and other security forces who violently confronted mostly peaceful protesters, is also a defendant in the same case, along with six other senior security officers. They are accused of complicity in killing some of the nearly 900 protesters who died.
The security officers didn't appear in the dock Monday. The hearing in their case, which had began before Mubarak's case was joined, was held separately Sunday, and the session adjourned to Sept.5.
In the courtroom, Presiding Judge Ahmed Rifaat firmly addressed the lawyers representing families of the protest victims, who bickered over seating arrangements and chances to address the panel of three judges.
"The case needs effort, not protests or talking," Rifaat told the crowd, complaining that he had more than 100 lawyers to listen to.
The family lawyers asked to separate the corruption charges and the killing of the protesters so as not to delay either case.
Mubarak was still on his hospital bed in the cage. He appeared to close his eyes at times. He said: "Present" when the judge did a roll call.
Before arriving in the dock, Mubarak's older son Alaa covered a state TV camera to try to block it from filming his father being taken out of the ambulance to go into the courtroom. Mubarak's health had been subject of speculation for weeks before his trial, and many suspected he might not even appear in court.
As Mubarak lay in the cage, lawyers for the relatives of the slain protesters shouted and bickered before the judge arrived in the room, apparently over seats.
melaleuca kelly brook antonio cromartie antonio cromartie diablo 3 diablo 3 true religion
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.