BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhuanet) — On Saturday, Egypt will witness the retrial of former President Hosni Mubarak. Also in the dock, will be former interior minister Habib el Adly.
The duo were each handed life sentences for failing to stop the killing of 900 protestors during the 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow of the Mubarak regime. CCTVs Adel Mahrouky, looks at what the proceedings may have in store.
The trial of the Century, as people here in Egypt call it, will restart on Saturday. Former President Hosni Mubarak and seven former leaders of his interior ministry are facing charges of premeditated Murder of the 25th of January Protesters.
Mubarak and Al Adly, his former interior minister were sentenced for life in prison, the maximum sentence to participating in Murder.Retrial proceeded after the court accepted the former leader’s appeal request and the prosecution’s on the six officers who became innocent.
Mohsen Bahnsy, Member, Fact-finding Mission, said, “Mubarak and Al Adly’s sentences in the retrial will not be more than what they got. This is based on law that a defendant cannot be harmed by his own appeal. Also, the former prosecution did not seek to chase Mubarak again.”
Mr. Bahnsy was part of a fact-finding mission that President Morsi assigned to dig more evidence for the trial.
The mission said that it has proof that Mubarak lied when he denied his knowledge about the death toll of the protests.
Mohsen Bahnsy, said, “We have proof that an encrypted satellite channel was created for Mubarak and it was broadcast live. We also have proof that from the 20th of January, five days before the revolution, he attended a meeting that planned to cut all mobile communication on Friday 28th. All of that is useless against Mubarak because of the appeal, but should convict the six others.”
Some of the fact-finding mission team were also lawyers for Victims’ families. After their mission was over, they have written a report, attached with it all new evidence they found and submitted it to the prosecutor general.
Mohsen Bahnsy, said, “I am worried of the prosecution’s preparations. We called many of the witnesses from our report, few of them were called for investigations with the prosecution. But they were not asked questions thoroughly, very superficial.”
According to the Egyptian law, Mubarak’s life sentence has been dropped for the appeal.
He should have been released on April 14th.However a new charge of corruption has been filed against him, so currently he is held in custody for 15days for investigations.
“Mubarak’s former trial brought with it clashes between his supporters and victims’ families. Many fear the re-trial will bring the same to country. And the news that Mubarak might be the only benefactor from his re-trial is irritating Victims’ families.