Mubarak acquitted of killing protesters in Jan 25 Revolution

CAIRO - 2 March 2017: Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was acquitted on charges of killing protestors during Egypt’s January 25 Revolution, the Court of Cassation said Thursday.

The court’s verdict in the case known as “the trial of the century” is final, with no further potential for appeal after more than 100 sessions. Mubarak was found not guilty of killing hundreds of protestors in a 2014 retrial.

Thursday’s session began with the prosecution’s accusations. They said Mubarak and former Minister of Interior Habib al-Adly provided the cars and weapons that helped security forces attack citizens,

Youm7 reported

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“The victims wanted to protest the deterioration of the political and economic situation in [Mubarak’s] era,” the prosecution’s representative said, adding that police forces ran over three protestors and some children.

Mubarak denied all accusations. “It did not happen,” he said.

Mubarak’s lead defense lawyer, Farid el-Deeb, referred to the retrial verdict that stated, “the police did not commit any crimes of murder or instigation or vehicular manslaughter.” He said it was the Muslim Brotherhood who ran over people, not the police, according to Youm7.

Mubarak was initially sentenced to life in prison on charges of complicity in killing over 800 protestors in the events of January and February 2011. But in January 2013, the Court of Cassation ordered the retrial that resulted in Mubarak’s acquittal in November 2014, overturning the earlier ruling.

Thursday’s session was the first time the Court of Cassation, headed by Judge Ahmed Abdel Kawi, held a session outside the Egyptian High Courts of Justice, headquartered in downtown Cairo. The session was moved to the Police Academy in New Cairo for security reasons.