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Judge adjourns Mubarak’s trial to August 15
The trial of former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, which began on Wednesday in Cairo, has been adjourned to August 15, 2011 by the trail judge.
According to the Judge, the former President, who is undergoing trial on charges of corruption and murder will be detained in a local hospital in Cairo.
Charges against Mubarak
The 83 years old Mubarak, who was taken into the court on a stretcher, is accused of stealing millions of dollars of public funds as well as ordering the shooting of protesters in a revolution that ousted him earlier this year.
He is facing trial alongside his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, his interior minister, an Egyptian business tycoon and six top police officers in his regime.
Mubarak denies charges
However, Mubarak denied charges that he was involved in the killing of protesters and other corruption.
"I entirely deny all those accusations," Mubarak said speaking from the bed where he lay inside a cage for defendants in the Cairo court.
His two sons, Gamal and Alaa, both holding copies of the Muslim holy book the Koran, also denied charges.
Court proceedings
The trail Judge, Ahmed Rifaat, at the commencement of the trial vowed to ensure speedy trial with all hearings to be broadcast live on state television.
In a trail that began with the identification of the various defendant lawyers and the accused, the Judge stressed that alleged victim will not be allowed in court and warned those attending the trail to keep quiet.
Human Right Group, Amnesty International, had earlier urged for a “Fair and transparent Trail”. The Civil Right Lawyers noted that they were under-represented and requested for more representation for the “dead and injured” during the protest that ousted the former President.
The lawyer representing Egypt’s ousted President, Farid al-Deeb, called for the military ruler of Egypt to be summoned as a witness in the trial.
He asked to "hear the testimony of Field Marshal (Mohamed Hussein) Tantawi" among a list of more than 1600 people he requested as witnesses, including former and current governors in the region of South Sinai.
He also listed other requests, including asking for a permit to get a specialist doctor to tend to Mubarak who has been hospitalised in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh since April.
The Protest
Mubarak, who had ruled for 30 years, is the second Arab President to be overthrown in a protest which began January 25, 2011.
More than 800 people died during the 18- days protest in which Mubarak ceded power.
In a related development, Mubarak’s opponents and supporters clashed outside the Cairo police academy during the trial.
About 600 Journalists and relatives of the defendants were in court, with over 1,000 police and troops securing the complex of the trial.
Mubarak had been detained in at the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh since April after he suffered health problems during initial questioning.
The former president will remain in a hospital inside the Police Academy complex, where he is now being tried, official source said.
Penalty
The former president and other accused could be sentenced to death if found guilty on charges that they ordered the use of lethal force against protesters during Egypt’s 18 days uprising.
Aljazeera/Reuters/Emma
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