Egypt: Trials for Mubarak, Sons, and Minister Adly Begin

The trials for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his sons Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, the former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, and six other former regime officials began today in a Cairo courtroom. All of the defendants denied the charges against them, the charges include:

Hosni Mubarak: Accused of conspiring in the premeditated and attempted murder of protesters during the uprising, abusing power to amass wealth, and allowing below-market price gas sales to Israel.

Gamal and Alaa Mubarak: Accused of abuse of power and illegal amassing of wealth.

Habib el-Adly: Charged with conspiring to commit the premeditated killing of protesters, and also attempted murder of protesters. (Adly has already been sentenced to 12 years in jail in a separate corruption case.)

The trial of Hosni, Gamal, and Alaa Mubarak has been adjourned until August 15, and the trial of Habib el-Adly and the six other defendants will resume tomorrow. The judge announced after the trial that the former president will not be allowed to return to Sharm el-Sheikh, but will be required to remain in Cairo, under the care of his medical team and the chief of oncology at Cairo University.

Many in Egypt doubted the trial would even occur, some speculated that Hosni Mubarak‘s reported health problems would require the judge to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh to take his testimony. Mahmoud el-Khodairy, a former judge and critic of Mubarak, described the trial as a “decisive moment” in Egyptian history.