Taxi driver Khaled Morsy has been crying since he heard Saturday morning that former President Hosni Mubarak and his interior minister Habib al-Adly were sentenced to life in prison, while Mubarak's two sons and six interior ministry officials were acquitted. Hiding behind dark glasses, Morsy has more questions than answers.
The historic trial of toppled President Hosni Mubarak is set to wrap up today when the presiding judge, Ahmed Refaat, hands down a verdict. The trial began in August 2011 and was adjourned on 22 February when Refaat declared that a verdict will be pronounced on 2 June. The former president could face a variety of punishments, up to the death penalty, for charges of conspring to kill protesters during the uprising in January and February 2011. His former Minister of Interior Habib al-Adly faces the same charges in the same trial. Mubarak, along with his sons Gamal and Alaa, are also charged with corruption for involvement in selling state land at below-market prices. The trial is being held at the Police Academy in the Fifth Settlement on the eastern outskirts of Cairo.
The Dokki Prosecution has ordered the detention of Bahaa Bastawisi, a member of the Democratic Front Party, and Sultan Mohamed, for four days pending investigation into the arson of presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq’s campaign offices, and ordered the release of two other suspects who proved they did not take part in the incident.
Egyptian petrol stations are currently suffering this year's third fuel shortage, with motorists across the country frequently forced to wait in long lines to fill up their tanks.
A number of secular forces on Wednesday presented 12 conditions for the presidential candidates to pledge to, most notably the formation of a presidential staff that is comprised of parliamentarians that the candidates would disclose before the run-off.
Finance Minister Momtaz al-Saeed decided to provide the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade with LE1 billion to disburse payments to wheat farmers for imported wheat, raising the sum allocated for the same purpose to about LE4.5 billion since beginning of the importing season.
In anticipation of a violent reaction to former President Hosni Mubarak's sentencing, officials unveiled a plan to secure the Saturday session of his trial that includes the deployment of 160 tanks and thousands of police officers.
Scores of young people and various revolutionary forces on Tuesday marched from Shubra to Tahrir Square to denounce Ahmed Shafiq and Mohamed Morsy competing in the presidential election run-off.
The Wafd Party has announced its members have the right to choose freely between the candidates in the presidential election run-off on 16 and 17 June, in conformity with the rule of law.
Renowned film producer Mohamed El-Adl, a prominent member of Hamdeen Sabbahi’s presidential campaign, has said members of the campaign had accepted the elimination of their candidate, although demonstrators in Tahrir Square had called on the Nasserist to join them and protest the final results of Egypt’s presidential election first round.
People’s Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny said on Tuesday that, “Parliament is impartial to all presidential candidates and does not interfere in the election.†Katatny’s statement came in response to independent MP Mohamed al-Omda’s claims that Parliament is supporting Mohamed Morsy, the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate.
Hesham al-Bastawisi will return to Kuwait to work as a judge after not proceeding to the second round of the presidential election.
Protests erupted in Alexandria and Cairo after the Presidential Elections Commission officially announced Monday that former regime figure Ahmed Shafiq will be facing off against the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsy in the runoff for Egypt's top post next month. Hundreds more had joined the protests in Tahrir Square by Monday night, blocking traffic in the square.
Defeated presidential candidates and political parties plan to issue a consensus document Wednesday articulating the demands of what they call the “wide secular current,†which wants a civil state, not candidates representing Islamism or the Mubarak regime.
Protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, who showed up in the epicenter of the 2011 uprising Monday evening in the wake of the official announcement of the presidential elections’ first round results, urged disqualified revolutionary candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi to join them while demonstrating.
The People's Assembly's Budget and Planning Committee endorsed Monday an amendment to the law linking maximum wages to minimum wages, capping the former at LE50,000 per month.
Former Military Prosecutor Sayed Hashem said extending the Emergency Law, which terminates on 31 May, is a possibility should the controversy over the presidential runoffs lead to turmoil and a security gap.
The People’s Assembly will discuss on Monday the principles approved on Saturday by its Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee for electing the members of the assembly that would lay down the country’s new constitution.
Revolutionary groups including Revolution Youth Coaltion, Kefaya protest movement, April 6 Youth Movement and the Revolutionary Socialists, are calling for protests Monday in front of the High Constitutional Court and the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) demanding the enforcement of the Disenfranchisement Law banning former regime figures from politics.
The government will remain impartial toward all parties during the presidential election runoff, scheduled for 16 and 17 June, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Fayza Abouelnaga has said.
Others
The Light of the Desert-Documentary on St Macarius Monastery, Egypt
The Light of the Desert-Documentary on St Macarius Monastery, Egypt
