Hosni Mubarak: Egypt court drops murder charges over 2011 killings

[Valin]

BBC:

29 November 2014

 

A court in Egypt has dropped charges against former President Hosni Mubarak over the killing of 239 protesters during the 2011 uprising against him.

The Cairo courtroom erupted in cheers when the judge concluded Mubarak's retrial by dismissing the case.

Charges against seven of Mr Mubarak's senior officials, including his interior minister, were also dropped.

 

 

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At the scene: BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo

 

Outside the police academy that used to bear his name, supporters and opponents of the former president gathered to hear the verdict - separated by police and a few layers of barricades. Hawkers stood on the sidelines offering Mubarak memorabilia.

 

The Mubarak faithful held aloft portraits of their former leader, calling for him to be acquitted. When the verdict came supporters hugged each other and danced in the streets. One woman told us it was the best moment of her life. "We always knew he was innocent," she said.

 

A short distance away bereaved relatives held photos of loved ones killed by the security forces during the revolution of 2011. Several of them had been demanding Mubarak's execution. When they heard the news, huddled around a car radio, one man collapsed, and started banging his head with his hands.

 

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This Could Be Bad!

[Valin]

Egypt police tear-gas protesters denouncing Mubarak verdict
Nov 30, 2014

 

CAIRO (AFP) - Egyptian police fired tear gas Saturday at more than 1,000 protesters in central Cairo who gathered to denounce a court’s decision to drop a murder charge against ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

 

An AFP correspondent said police also used water cannons and chased protesters in side streets near Tahrir Square, the hub of the uprising that forced Mubarak to step down in early 2011.

 

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The protest appears to have started with secular leaning activists but was joined by supporters of the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood movement of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

 

The interior ministry said in a statement police dispersed the protest after Brotherhood members showed up and started throwing stones.

[Valin]

JPost: Sisi regime shows confidence as ‘deep state’ returns to Egypt's political landscape

The acquittal of former president Hosni Mubarak, his sons, and other close aides demonstrates that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has settled comfortably in power and marks the return of the deep state.

The term “deep state” refers to a group of powerful nondemocratic leaders who, though they may be concealed under layers of bureaucracy, are actually in control of the country.

To be sure, Sisi has smartly led the important Arab state from the depth of riots, terrorist attacks, economic crisis and outside pressures, but the style and makeup, if not the policies, of the government are reminiscent of Mubarak’s regime.

The fact of the matter is that the Mubarak trial was bound to be based not on a strict reading of the evidence but on the wishes of the regime in power.

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H/T Power Line