Egypt's Mubarak, ex-interior minister sentenced to life in jail
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E-mail Xinhua, June 3, 2012
Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in jail on Saturday, the Cairo Criminal Court said in a historic verdict.
Presiding Judge Ahmed Refaat announced after 49 sessions of trial over the past ten months, the court decided to sentence Mubarak and former interior minister Habib Adli to life terms for charges of killing protesters in the massive demonstrations last year.
Adli's six assistants were acquitted, said Refaat.
As for a land deal case involving Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal, and businessman Hussein Salem, the court said the charges had passed the period of ten years for legal action. Mubarak was also acquitted in another case of power abuse.
"Above all, to fulfill its pledge and promise that the trial is fair, it had allowed all the defendants to provide their own opinions verbally, in addition to those presented by the defense teams," said Refaat.
There were 60,000 pages of documents piled up near the judges' desk at the court. Ex-vice president Omar Suleiman and chief of the ruling military council Hussein Tantawi provided testimonies in previous sessions last year.
Refaat said there was no certainty that the defendants committed murder and all the evidences were lacking in substance to satisfy the court.
Egypt's General Prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud decided Saturday to transfer Mubarak from the International Medical Center on Cairo-Ismailia road, where he spent the whole period of imprisonment since the trial started last August, to the Torah prison.
After the verdict, Mubarak was transferred by plane to Torah prison to serve his life sentence. His health reportedly worsened after a few minutes of his arrival. His two sons, Adli and the former interior minister's six aids were moved by another helicopter to the same prison as a precautious measure.
CITIZENS' MIXED REACTIONS
Clashes erupted between lawyers and families in the court of those killed in the demonstrations after the verdict, causing some injuries.
The families of the victims chanted "people want the judiciary cleansed," describing the verdict as "void, void." Security forces deployed in the court calmed the clashes and managed to regain order.
Outside the court, some Egyptians fired fireworks, singing and dancing in an expression of their excitement for a fair verdict, while others wished to sentence Mubarak and his aids to death.
Mubarak's supporters threw rocks at the riot police and were chased by security forces.
Some of victims' families flocked the iconic Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo to protest the verdict and express their dissatisfaction. They also called for executing the defendants.
"Acquitting the senior officials of Adli is out of expectations, " said Ahmad Khalil, 28, who was among those waiting outside the court.
Sairah Murad, a 37-year-old physician who had received injured protesters in a governmental hospital during the unrest, said that "Mubarak was not the problem. He is going to die anyway. But how couldn't the court prove his sons are guilty in the killing acts?"
Arafat Amin, secretary general of the Al-Karamah party, told Xinhua," I think the verdict is fair, it touched the head of the snake. Adli's assistants were just taking orders from their chief. "
Emad Al-bake, a political activist, condemned the court decision, saying "the six senior officials didn't deserve to be acquitted."
Akram Hossam, a political researcher in the Middle East Center for political studies, said "the verdict is out of my expectations. I expected for Mubarak less years (in jail)." "I think both Mubarak and Adli will appeal on the verdict, and their sentences will be mitigated," added Hossam.
According to the state TV, the defendants could appeal on the verdict in 60 days after its announcement.
POLITICIANS' VIEWS
Mubarak suffered a "health crisis'' on his way to a Cairo prison hospital.His health deteriorated more when he reached prison hours after a court sentenced him to life in prison, MENA added.The heath ministry said at least 12 people were injured in the clashes.
The electoral campaign of Hamdeen Sabahi, a failed presidential candidate who ranked the third place in the polls, asked for retrying Mubarak and members of his regime in a revolutionary court, which guarantees the victory for the victims' families. They urged people all over Egypt to participate in huge rallies in all squares at 5 p.m. Saturday.
They considered the verdict political in the first place, not legal, noting that "the verdict came in moderate, unclear style, it condemned Adli and acquitted his assistants as if he committed the crimes alone".
The statement added, the verdict was surprising and pushed Egypt into a state of anger with their going out to the squares.
The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) urged all the revolution and national movements to hold an emergency meeting over the verdict. The group said "if the evidences weren't sufficient, then all the agencies which hide or damage the evidences should be investigated ".
The court decision will have deteriorating and bad implications over the political future of Egypt, and the Egyptians have to feel the great danger that will threaten his wealth, aspirations and waste the sacrifices and blood of his murdered sons, the statement added.
Mohamed Ghazlan, media spokesperson of the MB, said "the verdict which acquitted the leaders of the police and wasted the martyrs' blood and handicapped justice is a shock for all Egyptians".
He added MB will participate in the protests with all Egyptians against the verdict.
Ahmed Shafiq, ex-prime minister of Mubarak and a presidential candidate who is competing with Islamist Mohammed Morsi in the run- off, said "life sentence for Mubarak proved that no one is above accountability, and the coming president should be aware of this fact, and should realize this historic lesson."
He added in a statement that he respects the court decision, and that if he wins people's trust as the next president, he will work to enhance the independence of judiciary.
Mohammed Abdel Salam, a 26 years old, told Xinhua reporter in Tahrir square, "the verdict is null and unfair, and if Shafiq wins, another revolution will happen.
Meanwhile Omar Wagdy, lawyer, said the verdict is a deceit for people, it is unfair, how can Spain convicted Hussein Salem while the Egyptian judiciary acquitted him. This verdict will affect the run-off election, and will reduce Shafiq's votes.
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