Mubarak Faces Execution, Says Justice Minister
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak could be executed for his role in the deaths of pro-democracy protesters, the country’s Justice Minister, Abdel Aziz al-Gindi, said recently. Mubarak is currently being held by Egyptian police, accused of extensive financial corruption and ordering the killing of anti-regime protesters during February’s revolution.
The head of Cairo’s appeals court, Zakaria Shalash, also suggested last month that Mubarak could face the death penalty if convicted. In a trial which is suspected to last at least a year, Shalash says the verdict will hinge on the testimony of Mubarek’s former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, who is also on trial for ordering the shooting of protesters. Al Adly has claimed he was given direct instructions from Mubarak to “shoot-to-kill.”
Presently, many wonder if Mubarak will live to face trial. The 82 year-old former dictator is in police custody at a hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, while he recovers from a heart attack he reportedly suffered during preliminary questioning.
