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Hosni Mubarak freed of murder charges
Cairo, Nov 29 (IBNS): An Egyptian court on Saturday dismissed criminal charges against former president Hosni Mubarak in connection with the killing of protesters in the 2011 uprising that ended his nearly three-decade reign, media reported.
According to reports received, Mubarak was also acquitted of corruption charges involving gas exports to Israel that he faced along with his sons Alaa and Gamal.
Seven of his security commanders, including the feared former interior minister Habib al-Adly, were acquitted over the demonstrator deaths.
Saturday's verdict concludes his retrial along with his two sons, his security chief and six top security commanders, who were all acquitted.
Also on trial was businessman Hussein Salem, a longtime Mubarak friend tried in absentia. He too was acquitted.
Mubarak was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2012, but the verdict was overturned on appeal the following year.
Former President will remain in prison though because he is serving a three-year sentence in a separate corruption case.
Mubarak, is serving a separate three-year sentence for embezzlement of public funds.
Presiding judge Mahmoud al-Rashidi made clear that the dismissal of the charges did not absolve Mubarak of the "corruption" and "weakness" of the latter years of his 29-year rule and praised the January 2011 uprising, saying that its goals — freedom, bread and social justice — were justified.
The 86-year-old, dressed in his trademark shades and wearing the blue clothes of a convict, was wheeled into the caged dock on an upright stretcher.
Though cheers broke out in the courtroom and Mubarak's two sons and co-defendants stooped down to kiss his forehead when the judge read out the verdict.
His lawyer Farid al-Deeb told AFP that Saturday's verdict was "a good ruling that proved the integrity of Mubarak's era."
Nearly 900 protesters were killed in the 18-day uprising that ended when Mubarak stepped down, handing over power to the military.
Mubarak's elected successor as president, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, lasted only a year in power before being ousted by the military in July 2013 during mass anti-government protests.
Army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was subsequently elected in his place and under his rule, TV stations and newspapers have largely dropped criticism of the Mubarak era, correspondents say.
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