Ex President Egypt Hosni Mubarak charged with murder
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has been charged with murder. Photograph: Charles Dharapak/AP
Egypt referred Hosni Mubarak to court on Tuesday over the killing of protesters and other charges, defying speculation that Egypt's new military rulers would spare the former president public humiliation.
Mubarak was ousted from power on 11 February after mass demonstrations demanded an end to his 30-year rule. He was then detained by prosecutors investigating corruption during his rule and a crackdown on the protesters.
His two sons, Alaa and Gamal, – the latter of whom many had believed was being groomed by his father to replace him, – were also referred to the criminal court on a range of charges, the public prosecutor said in a statement.
The decision was announced before another demonstration planned for Friday in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the heart of the uprising. Activists have called for a big turnout to demand faster reforms and a public trial for Mubarak and others.
"Every time the youth threaten to go to Tahrir Square again with a huge number of protesters, I think they make some concessions," said Hassan Nafaa, a political scientist and longtime critic of Mubarak.
The crimes listed by the prosecutor included "intentional murder, attempted killing of some demonstrators ... misuse of influence and deliberately wasting public funds and unlawfully making private financial gains and profits".
The prosecutor charged the former intelligence chief Hussein Kamal al-Din Ibrahim Salem, who has fled, with the same crimes.
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