CAIRO: Ousted President Hosni Mubarak has denied all charges of corruption and complicity in killing protesters during Egypt's uprising after a court detailed the allegations against him at the opening session of his trial.
An ailing, 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak, lying ashen-faced on a hospital bed inside a metal defendants cage with his two sons beside him in white prison uniforms, faced the start of his historic trial Wednesday on charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising that toppled him.The spectacle, aired live on state television, was the biggest humiliation for Egypt's former president since his ouster nearly six months ago. But it went a long way to satisfy one of the key demands that has united protesters since Feb. 11, the day the regime was toppled.It was the first time Egyptians have seen Mubarak since Feb. 10, when he gave a defiant TV address refusing to resign.Mubarak, his former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, and six top police officers are charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the protesters killed during the uprising, according to the official charge sheet. All eight could face the death penalty if convicted.Separately, Mubarak and his two sons, one time heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa, face charges of corruption. The two sets of charges have been lumped together in one mass trial. (AP)
