Ex-Egyptian president gets jail for life

By IANS,

Cairo: A court in Cairo sentenced Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak to life imprisonment Saturday for his involvement in protestors’ killings during last year’s uprising, BBC reported.


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Mubarak, 84, is the first Arab leader being tried by his own people since the wave of uprising began in Tunisia in late 2010.

The former Egyptian president was held guilty for his role in the killing of some 900 protesters during the 18-day revolt that overthrew him last February, Al Jazeera reported. He was convicted after a 10-month trial in a special court.

The judge suspended the session as shouting and scuffles erupted in court just as the verdict was read out.

According to BBC, former interior minister Habib al-Adly also received a life sentence over the deaths of demonstrators. Mubarak and his two sons — Gamal and Alaa — were acquitted on separate charges of corruption.

This was caused by the court’s decision to acquit four senior aides to Adly, who are also widely blamed for the death of protesters.

The trial was taking place in the police academy that was once named after Mubarak on Cairo’s outskirts.

Mubarak, who ruled the country for 30 years, faced a possible death sentence over the killings by security forces last year.

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