World Reacts to Mubarak Verdict

Photo Credit: Virginie Nguyen

A court in Cairo sentenced former President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adley to life in prison Saturday for failing to prevent the deaths of demonstrators during last year’s revolution. However, Mubarak’s sons Gamal and Alaa, along with six other senior Interior Ministers, were acquitted of complicity, and the former President was acquitted of corruption charges as well. The initial joy among those gathered soured in light of the acquittals, and demonstrators gathered across Egypt in anger. The Muslim Brotherhood called the verdict a threat to the revolution and vowed to take to the streets in protest. A spokesman for Mohammed Mursi‘s campaign criticized the prosecution for not doing enough, while Ahmed Shafiq‘s campaign released a statement saying the trial proved “no one is above accountability.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not comment directly on the verdict, saying only the trial was ”up to the Egyptian people, their judicial system and their government.” Mubarak was taken to a prison hospital following the trial, where reports say he may have suffered a heart attack.

Meanwhile, Sherif Mansour, former senior officer for Freedom House’s Middle East and North Africa programs, is on his way back to Egypt to face charges of “illegally operating pro-democracy programs and stirring unrest,” and could face up to six years in prison if convicted.

James Zogby writing in the Huffington Post marks the third anniversary of President Obama‘s Cairo Speech, arguing the U.S. is still in “the house that Bush built” when it comes to American reputation and policy in the Middle East, and criticizes partisanship for obstructing real change.