Egyptian Court Orders Retrial for Mubarak

Posted January 13th, 2013 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
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An Egyptian court has ordered a retrial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who is serving a life sentence.

The court on Sunday granted the 84-year-old former leader a new trial, several months after he was convicted for conspiracy in the killing of hundreds of protesters during an uprising that ended his three-decade rule in 2011.

The appeals court ruled Mubarak's former interior minister, Habib el-Adly, who is serving a life sentence, will also face a new trial, as will Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and Alaa. They are all to remain in detention because they are facing other charges.

New trial dates have yet to be set. The charges against Mubarak are reported to be the same as those that led to a life sentence last June.

The court's ruling in Cairo was met with cries of “long live justice” by Mubarak supporters.

Dozens of the former leader's supporters have gathered outside the military hospital where he has been held after hearing news the appeal was granted.

Sunday's ruling came one day after a prosecutor placed a new detention order on Mubarak about gifts worth about $1 million received from Egypt's top newspaper Al-Ahram. He was ordered detained for 15 days pending an investigation on the new charges.

The ailing Mubarak was moved from prison last month to a military hospital after breaking his ribs in a fall.