A Egyptian court on Nov. 29 dropped charges against former president Hosni Mubarak, dismissing the case. Judge Mahmoud Kamel al-Rashidi, who read the decisiom for the three-panel court, stated that charges should have never been brought. Critics alleged that the postponed ruling is a political one, but Rashidi denies that the decision had anything to do with politics and encouraged critics to read the court's reasoning. Mubarak, his former security chief Habib al-Adly and six former government aides were being retried on charges of corruption and complicity in the killing of more than 100 protesters during the country's 2011 uprising. The charges against Mubarak's government aides were also dropped. The court's decision may be appealed.
Mubarak and other members of his administration have been the subject of controversial judicial proceedings since the Egyptian Revolution. In May an Egyptian criminal court in Cairo convicted Mubarak of embezzling millions of dollars of public money and sentenced the former president to three years in prison. The court also sentenced Mubarak's sons Alaa and Gamal to four years in prison for their role in the embezzling scheme. Last December, an Egyptian court acquitted former Egyptian prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq and Alaa and Gamal Mubarak of charges of embezzling public funds. In August of last year, Mubarak appeared in court for his retrial on complicity charges in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. The same week Mubarak was released from prison and placed under house arrest at a military hospital after a court concluded that he served the maximum in time allowed in connection with the long-pending corruption case. In July 2013 lawyers for Mubarak entered a not guilty plea in his retrial.
From Jurist, Nov. 29. Used with permission.
Egypt: death toll rises in street clashes
At least two have been killed in protests that erupted nationwide after the dropping of criminal charges against Hosni Mubarak. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Cairo University, waving pictures of Mubarak behind bars and demanding the "fall of the regime"—the rallying cry of the Arab Revolution.
Judge in Mubarak case: Egyptian revolution Zionist conspiracy
The Jerusalem Post, citing accounts in the Egyptian press, reports that the judge who dismissed the case against Mubarak engaged in ugly conspiranoia in his opinion about how the 2011 revolution was the fruit of a conspiracy by the US, Zionism and the Muslim Brotherhood. Judge Mahmoud Kamel al-Rashidi wrote that he arrived at this conclusion after consulting with "the nation's wise men," including former intelligence head Omar Suleiman, former defense chief Hussein Tantawi and former prime minister Ahmed Nazif.
Mubarak fraud conviction overturned
A court in Egypt on Jan. 13 overturned the convictions of embezzlement for former president Hosni Mubarak and ordered a retrial. Mubarak was sentenced in May to three years after being found guilty of embezzling $14 million of government money for personal expenses. However, the Court of Cassation found legal procedures were not properly followed during Mubarak's original trial. Mubarak is expected to be released on Jan 17. The 86-year-old has been in detention since April 2011. (Jurist, Jan. 13)
Egypt: court orders release of Mubarak’s sons pending retrial
An Egyptian court on Jan. 22 ordered the release on bail of ousted president Hosni Mubarak's two sons, pending a retrial in a corruption case. Alaa and Gamal Mubarak were charged for using state funds to renovate family residences and sentenced to four years in prison. Their father was sentenced to three years in prison for the embezzling scheme. However, earlier this month, an appeals court ordered a retrial. Because Alaa and Gamal Mubarak have served the maximum pretrial detention period, they were free to leave prison after the court order. (Jurist)
Egypt court orders release of Mubarak’s sons: time served
An Egyptian court on Oct. 12 ordered the release of former president Hosni Mubarak's sons, Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, after holding that they had completed their three-year prison sentences on embezzlement. The Cairo criminal court sentenced Hosni Mubarak and his two sons to three years in prison on corruption charges during a retrial in May, but they had already spent three years in prison for other convictions.The original trial, which took place last year, resulted in a guilty verdict for embezzling millions of dollars of public money by diverting public funds and using the money to upgrade family properties. The brothers still face insider trading charges. (Jurist)