Mubarak TV Cameras Banned As Trial Adjourns
4:24pm UK, Monday August 15, 2011
Emma Hurd, Middle East correspondent
The trial of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has been adjourned until September 5th after a brief and chaotic hearing in Cairo.
The Judge also ruled that live TV broadcasts will be banned for the rest of case, a move that will alarm pro- democracy activists who still fear justice may not be done.
The frail 83 year old, who once again appeared in the courtroom in a hospital bed, is facing charges of conspiring to kill more than 850 protesters who died during the February uprising.
He is also charged with corruption, accusations that are also levelled against his two sons Alaa and Gamal, who appeared in the defendant’s cage with their father wearing white prisoner uniforms. All three deny the charges.
Pro-Mubarak protesters outside the court
Outside the courtroom there were scuffles as Mubarak loyalists clashed with pro democracy activists despite the presence of more than 3,000 police.
Inside, there was also chaos. More than 100 lawyers are involved in the case and there was shouting, and shoving as they tried to attract the attention of the Judge.
Those representing the families of protesters killed during the uprising argued that they had not been given sufficient access to the evidence.
They are demanding to see communications records that might indicate who gave the orders to use live ammunition against the demonstrators.
For their part, Mubarak’s defence team asked for the right to call 1,600 witnesses. Among them, is Field Marshall Tantawi the interim ruler of Egypt and Mubarak’s former defence minister.
His evidence could be explosive – especially if he is accused of taking a decisive role in ordering the killing of protesters.
The unruly scenes both in and outside the court seem to have prompted the Judge Ahmed Refaat’s decision to ban live tv coverage of the rest of the trial.
A move dismissed as “preposterous” by one activist outside the court.
Adjourning the case until September 5th, Judge Refaat, ordered that Mubarak’s case be merged with that of his former Interior Minister Habib el Adli, who is also facing charges of conspiring to kill protesters.
From throne to cell
Hosni Mubarak, former president of Egypt who thought he to be absolutely infallible while occupied the throne for well over four decades is now not only hospitalized but caged as well meaning by that he moves from one extreme to another extreme. Those who worked under his command and control and dare not even thinking of disobeying him are now very much against him and wish that only the tyrant himself but his family including wife and sons too to be sent to gallows for the heinous crimes they have against their fellow compatriots.
As a neutral person, I will pen without any hesitation and reluctance that ever since Hosni had been too despotic, arrogant, cruel and oppressive while at the top of the ladder and did not even think for a fraction of a second about those who innocent who were being killed when his rule was ending so he does not deserve any sympathy whatsoever.
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