Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has appeared in an Egyptian court on charges of corruption and ordering the killing of demonstrators during the popular uprising that led to his ousting in February.
Mubarak, who had exiled himself to a Red Sea resort in Sharm el-Sheikh, was wheeled into the defendant’s cage on a hospital stretcher flanked by his sons Alaa and Gamal, in a courtroom in a police academy on the outskirts of Cairo that once used to bear his name above its door.
The 83 year-old was accused by the prosecutor of authorising the use of live ammunition for crowd control and intentionally killing peaceful protesters, 850 of whom died during the riots.
The first Arab leader to stand trial for his response to the Arab Spring was also charged with corruption and wasting public funds, and abusing his power to amass private wealth. Early forensic accountancy reports aired in the UK press suggested this could be as high as US$70 billion, while the Washington Post subsequently reported that including cash, gold and other state-owned valuables the amount could well reach US$700 billion – US$200 million more than Egypt’s GDP.
Mubarak spoke little as the charges were read out, only stating “I entirely deny all those accusations.”
The UK’s Guardian newspaper reported that Mubarak’s lawyer Farid el-Deeb, who is among Egypt’s most famous and known for both his “exquisite politeness” and “snappy dressing”, intends to present 1600 witnesses to the court.
Judge Ahmed Refaat of the fifth district of the Cairo criminal court, who is presiding over the case, meanwhile “has a reputation as Mr Clean and a track record of judging politically sensitive cases”.
Egypt meanwhile remains under the control of a military council led by a former defense minister, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who has promised a transition to democracy and has kept a low profile despite continuing protests in Cairo’s Tahir Square.
Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for 30 years, was the highest profile victim of the Arab Uprising, a series of mass protests across the Arab World that has seen the fall of many long-serving dictators, including Tunisian President Ben Ali, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and potentially, Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi. President Bashir of Sudan has announced he will not seek another term, as has Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq.
Widespread killing of demonstrators continues in Syria, with more than 2000 deaths reported so far. Libyan casualties have surpassed 13,000 as Muammar Gaddafi clings to power despite months of NATO bombings.
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Comment: Gayoom and Nasir unlikely to face their Mubarak moment- Mubarak may face execution as protests and violence continue to engulf region
- Mubarak’s fall sparks regional discontent
- World reacts to resignation of Egypt’s Mubarak
- Maldivian President joins calls for Mubarak to step down
- Arabs: The masters of their fate
Tsk tsk...once again the West funds the prosecution of their puppets.
When will we amass enough strength to liberate ourselves from their machinations.
I am not talking about conspiracy theories but bargaining on equal footing. It is a dream that the citizens of Brazil, Russia and China have somewhat achieved.
Mubarak can be no better than the many dictators who have been plundering their nations to rubble!
He too wouldn't have touched a single coin!
Nor ordered killing anyone!
I suppose if we are self-sufficient and productive.
I have always wondered why so many dictators' of the late 20th and early 21st century have names that begin with an 'M.'
Is it just a coincidence? It has to be. No?
Egypt is a country that has had an enormous influence on Maldivian history and culture mainly through Egypt's soft power-education- in the Arab as well as the rest of the Mulsim world.
President Nasir of Maldives likened himself to the legendary Colonel Nasser of Egypt who was a contemporary.
A large number of Maldivian scholars and judges of my life-time- including my father himself- were educated in Al-azhar university.
Our famous- or infamous- priest turned political dictator, His Excellency Gayoom Didi was also a pupil of Egypt and its dictatorial dictators- pharoahs- like Husni Mubarak.
The Mubarak saga that is unfolding before our eyes cannot be but very interesting indeed for all educated Maldivians, including myself.
Mubarak has his supporters in Egypt. Mr Gayoom has similar supporters in the Maldives. In fact it is to avoid the fate of Mubarak that Gayoom and his men- and women- are concentrating their efforts right now as I write.
Can we imagine Gayoom and his men- and women- in a cage- facing justice?
Whatever Gayoom did- for the long period of his rule- he did according to a well established tradition of pharoah-like rulers.
As pharoahs, Gayoom and his predecessor Nasir were exactly alike. If Gayoom goes on trial, Nasir must be put on trial too even though he is no longer alive physically.
Though not alive physically, I have a feeling he is still alive in his spirit, in that he has many supporters and advocates who want to rehabilitate his name which Gayoom did try to erase from our memory.
In the end, what should be on trial is neither Gayoom nor Nasir nor both only. There were a lot of people who directly benefited from their respective regimes.For example, Koli Ali Maniku was the right-hand man of both Gayoom and Nasir.
Without Koli, neither of his former masters could have done what he did.
There were other collaborators and henchmen. The list is too long for Minivan News.
Their saga itself is too much for Minivan News readers to read and bear.
@ Michael Fahmy, remember that that you are writing in heathens language is because of late Presidents Nasir vision of modern Maldives. If not for this great personality you would be writing in dirty Bedouins tongue.
Eventhough an iron fisted dictator was brought to court...it is amazing that MDP governement cannot bring gayyoom to court to face charges which have been repeated over and over again in the media!!
Maybe because MDP only uses the illusion of justice to seek support of the masses..whose real desire was for the overthrow of gayyoom's regime.
Michael Fahmy, who is "His Excellency Gayoom Didi"? This is the first time I have heard of this person. Enlighten me please. It sounds like you are an old fogey who has ancient scores to settle. How old are you anyway now? My guess is 72. Must have been a while since you were at Sosun Villa.
@ Hassan ahmed.
Are you saying that you are writing infront of a computer, using the internet, reading minivannews and commenting because of the vision Maumoon had. If not for Maumoon what would you be doing instead?
@MA on Sat, Gay Yoom absolutely has no vision for Maldives at all!
Rather he was deceiving and misleading Maldivians and was living like third world monarch.
Qayyoom was a product of his time and age. The very fact that he was able to lead for the time period that he did indicates his mettle.
With the benefit of hindsight or rather the distorting lens of current expectations and discourse our look back at the past might be misleading. Every ruler we had in the past might be called a dictator if we use the measures of the present.
Qayyoom stayed in power for as long as he did because his administration was able to administer to the Maldivian people for quite an amount of time. Ditto for Nasir, who in actuality ruled for roughly the same period of time (as both PM and President).
Young Nasheed, however, cannot hold on to the reigns any longer as he has failed this country in just about every aspect. Handouts and PR stunts alone will not suffice come 2013.