Mubarak at Trial

"Landep News"

Mubarak at Trial

Former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, arrived on Wednesday in Cairo, being carried on stretches from his hospital in Sharm el Sheikh to a metal cage built inside the courtroom, where he is expected to hear and respond to accusations of ordering the killing of the revolutionaries in the Tahrir Square, corruption and abuse of office.

The 83-year-old ousted president’s trial will be conducted in special security conditions at the outskirts of the capital of Egypt, at a Police Academy building, and is considered without precedent in this part of the world.

Along with Mubarak in the cage will be his sons, Alaa and Gamal, and the former interior minister and some highly ranked officers responsible with law enforcement in the old regime.

The trial is being televised, and, if found guilty, Mubarak faces the death penalty, though it is highly unlikely that he will actually be executed, considering his health condition and the fact that he has the sympathy of the army, which is in charge of the country right now.

The public in Egypt is rather divided on Mubarak’s fate, some of them advocating the swift trial and the sentencing to death of he who ordered the repression of their revolution, others being more reserved on the matter, and leaning toward a milder treatment of the now old and ill man.

The presence of the former president at the trial was disputed until the last moment, given that there were rumors that his heart condition may impede his participation in a courtroom.

People in the Tahrir Square demanded the speeding of the trial, and were very reluctant to the idea of postponing it. They demanded to see justice being done as soon as possible, as part of the revolution in January.

Police Academy Building in Cairo

Even the stock indices dropped on Tuesday fueled by fear that Mubarak will not appear in court and that this will trigger another round of protests.

The shocking images of building the cage where Mubarak stands were on the front page of the newspapers in Egypt on Tuesday, with the explanation that this is standard procedure in Egypt.

It is expected that the procedures against Mubarak will send a message to the other leaders in the Arab world, who have the same problems back home. It may also give leaders like Bashar al Assad and Muammar al Qaddafi reasons to continue their fight to victory or death.

It is also possible that demonstrations pro- and anti-Mubarak be organized in front of the venue the trial is being held, because those who want him sentenced believe that putting pressure on the judges is a safe way of making sure the job gets done, whereas other people will be there to show their support, given that he still enjoys a certain degree of approval in society.

Relatives of the 800 people killed during the revolution in January and February plan on being at the Police Academy on Wednesday, where they will request death penalty for the former president.

Even though some of the people declared that they would be happy to see him hanging, or that they would throw a party if he did hang, there is an increasing concern in the Egyptian society about the new life conditions in Egypt, and the security his regime was offering already appeals more and more people, who would have a problem seeing the former president being executed like a regular villain.

The continuing unrest, the protests, and especially the blame on the police for what happened in January and February have contributed in large amounts to a more insecure life in the streets of the north African country.

People Demanding Mubarak's Death

Tourism and economy also suffered a setback, and this was reflected in the life of the average citizen. Political instability, the continuing rejection of the new provisory leaders imprinted on the economic development.

The revolution is expected to be concluded with the elections in October, when the military council that now rules the country hands over power to the elected authorities.

But that is not expected to heal all the wounds in the Egyptian society, as a conflict between secularism and Islamism is likely to break out at full scale in this society that was kept by Mubarak in a Western-like attitude toward religion and secular values.

The first signs of this conflict were visible last week, when the secularists conjured a “Friday of Unity,” but the Tahrir Square was invaded by thousands of Islamists who demanded sharia law and the death of secularists. They coined their move “Friday of Identity.”

Apart from this conflict that seems impossible to avoid, there is sectarian fight between Muslims and Christians. The year started in this country with a series of crimes committed against Christian Copts, as police did nothing to put an end to them. It would seem that the Copts no longer put up with this, as the country is heading toward sharing democratic values.

No one knows how long will Mubarak’s trial last. His “neighbor,” Ben Ali, was judged and sentenced in Tunisia in one day. However, if this trial will result in the sentencing of the former president to death, it is possible that this deepen the already existing division within Egyptian society.

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