News / Africa

August Trial Date Set for Egypt's Mubarak

An Egyptian protester carries a banner with drawings depicting ex president Mubarak and reads in Arabic "No forgiveness, our children's blood is not cheap," during a protest at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, May 27, 2011.
An Egyptian protester carries a banner with drawings depicting ex president Mubarak and reads in Arabic "No forgiveness, our children's blood is not cheap," during a protest at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, May 27, 2011.

Multimedia

Audio
TEXT SIZE - +

Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak and his two sons will face trial in August on charges of fraud and orchestrating the killing of anti-government protesters who drove him from power.

Egypt state media on Wednesday announced the trial will begin on August 3. Mubarak and his sons, Alaa and Gamal, will face trial in a Cairo criminal court.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Obama administration wants due process in what she predicted will be "a highly-charged trial."

Egyptian prosecutors have been interrogating the former president at a hospital in Sharm el Sheikh, and his sons while in custody in a Cairo prison.

They are investigating Mubarak's alleged role in crimes going back decades. The charges against Mubarak and his sons include abuse of power and wasting public funds.

A Mubarak trial - a distraction from Egypt’s real problems? Steven Cook, Council of Foreign Relations, speaks to VOA’s Susan Yackee:

The setting of the trial date follows widespread calls for members of the former government to face justice. Human rights activists believe at least 800 people were killed during the protests, which ended nearly 30 years of Mubarak's rule.

Gamal Mubarak held no formal government position, but had a key post in the former ruling National Democratic Party and was seen as being groomed to succeed his father. His brother Alaa was a prominent businessman, also without an official post.

The former president's wife, Suzanne Mubarak, has also been questioned about alleged illegal gains. Last month, she agreed to hand over several million dollars worth of property and other assets.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter
and discuss them on our Facebook page.

You May Like

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Day earlier US President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives More

Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu

Study suggest that international measures to contain the H7N9 influenza, in the event of severe outbreak, will need to be targeted in Asia More

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Opposition has called for boycott of elections More

Video Syria's Civil War Fuels Violence in Iraq

Analysts say al-Qaida-linked militants are flowing back and forth from both countries More

Video Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.