CAIRO: Deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak could leave prison today after a court ruling that further divided a country in turmoil since the army toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi seven weeks ago.
Convening at the Cairo jail where Mubarak is held, the court ordered the release of the military man who ruled Egypt for 30 years with an iron fist until he was overthrown during the uprisings that swept the Arab world in early 2011.
The prime minister’s office said he would then be placed under house arrest, which could be an attempt to placate the many who will object to the release of the man they held mass protests to eject in 2011.
Citing a security source, the state news agency said Mubarak was “likely” to be transported to one of the state’s vital installations or one of two military hospitals where he will be guarded under heavy security.
Mubarak, 85, was sentenced to life in prison last year for failing to prevent the killing of demonstrators. But a court accepted his appeal earlier this year and ordered a retrial.
The ailing former air force pilot probably has no political future, but the court ruling made some Egyptians uncomfortable.
“His regime was foul. He damaged the country a lot. Unemployment high, no services, no health, no education. This is not a good day for the country,” said Hassan Mohamed, 66, an engineer.
Refilling juice cartons in a convenience store, Amr Fathi also expressed disappointment. “I’m not happy, of course. He oppressed us a lot back in the day,” he said.
Political upheaval triggered by Mursi’s overthrow on July 3 has kept many Egyptians anxious. The military announced a road map designed to bring democracy back to Egypt but this has not created a sense of stability in the Arab world’s biggest nation.
At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Mursi supporters since last week, making it the country’s bloodiest internal episode in decades.
The clampdown, which has included the arrests of top leaders of Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, appears to have weakened the Arab world’s oldest and arguably most influential Islamist group.
It has been struggling to get people onto the streets to protest what it calls a military coup since security crushed pro-Mursi protest camps in Cairo. Security forces arrested a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Ahmed Aref, early on Thursday, the state news agency reported.
Brotherhood supporters have called on Egyptians to hold “Friday of Martyrs” marches against the military takeover. (Reuters)