Protests erupts in Egypt against Mubarak verdict, presidential candidate Shafiq
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E-mail Xinhua, June 5, 2012
Thousands of Egyptians flocked to Cairo's iconic Tahrir square and other places on Tuesday to protest the verdict handed down in ex-president Hosni Mubarak's case as well as presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, who they say is from the former regime.
Different political forces, including the Muslim Brotherhood ( MB), took part in the demonstration.
"We are here since Saturday to rescue our revolution which is in danger of being aborted by the rags of corruption and the anti- revolution people," Ahmed Attiya, a member of the April 6 Youth Movement, told Xinhua at Tahrir Square.
"The recent verdicts issued by the court and the results of the first round of presidential vote which made ex-premier Ahmed Shafiq enter the run-off means that the former regime is coming back," he added.
The run-off of presidential election is set to be held on June 16-17 between Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Mohamed Morsi and Shafiq.
Defeated presidential candidates Hamdeen Sabahi, Aboul Fotouh and Khled Ali are expected to join the protests later Tuesday.
On Monday, the three agreed to form a presidential council and demanded implementing the political isolation law against Shafiq. Alleging irregularities in the first round, Sabahi demanded the suspension of the run-off. The MB has not agreed with the idea of the presidential council.
"The only solution to save our revolution is the presidential council, as the presidential election was forged, it doesn't represent the real votes," Salma Ezzat, a young protester, told Xinhua.
The protesters are also calling on the Supreme Constitutional Court to approve the disfranchisement law to remove former regime remnants from the political scene, especially Shafiq.
"No for Shafiq, Mubarak's servant," "Yes for the disfranchisement law," protesters shouted.
On Saturday, the Cairo Criminal Court announced the verdicts for Mubarak and the other charged people. Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib Adli were sentenced to life in jail, while Mubarak's two sons and six former police officers were acquitted. Mubarak was sent to the Tora prison to serve his term.
In the first round of presidential vote on May 23-24, Morsi and Shafiq ranked the first and second respectively. The vote had a turnout of 46 percent and was widely believed to be free and fair.
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