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Egypt's Hosni Mubarak trial enters final day Egypt's Hosni Mubarak trial enters final day
(about 9 hours later)
The trial of Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak is due to begin its final day, after six months of hearings.The trial of Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak is due to begin its final day, after six months of hearings.
Mr Mubarak is accused of corruption, and of ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising that forced him to step down last February after three decades in power. Mr Mubarak denies ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising that forced him to step down last February after three decades in power.
The prosecution has called for the death penalty for Mr Mubarak, who denies the charges against him. He could face the death penalty if convicted, as could former his Interior Minister, Habib al-Adly, and six senior police officers, who are co-defendants.
The judge is expected to deliver his verdict at a later hearing.The judge is expected to deliver his verdict at a later hearing.
His two sons, Alaa and Gamal, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six senior police officers have also been put on trial. Mr Mubarak's sons face separate charges of corruption. Mr Mubarak's two sons - one-time heir apparent Gamal and Alaa - are facing separate charges of corruption with their father in the same trial.
The business tycoon, Hussein Salem, is also being tried in absentia.
All the defendants have denied the charges.All the defendants have denied the charges.
Powerful figures Powerful figures
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says Mr Mubarak's trial has never really lived up to its opening moment of drama in August, when the 83-year-old was wheeled into court on a stretcher, despite claims that he was too ill to appear.
In his closing remarks on Monday, chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman said of the trial: "This is not a case about the killing of one or 10 or 20 civilians, but a case of an entire nation."In his closing remarks on Monday, chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman said of the trial: "This is not a case about the killing of one or 10 or 20 civilians, but a case of an entire nation."
He told the court earlier that Mr Mubarak must have ordered police to open fire on protesters, leaving more than 800 dead. He told the court earlier that it was impossible that Mr Mubarak had not ordered police to open fire on protesters, leaving more than 800 dead.
The prosecution says it has taken testimony from 2,000 witnesses, including police officers who discussed orders from above to arm police with automatic rifles and shotguns to use against protesters.The prosecution says it has taken testimony from 2,000 witnesses, including police officers who discussed orders from above to arm police with automatic rifles and shotguns to use against protesters.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says that though most observers say the trial has been conducted relatively fairly, the prosecution maintains that it has been denied access to some of the most important evidence. Our correspondent says that though most observers believe the trial has been conducted relatively fairly, the prosecution maintains that it has been denied access to some of the most important evidence.
The court has not heard logs of calls from the interior ministry in the crucial hours when many of the protesters were killed, prosecutors say, and many key insiders have not given evidence while others have only appeared behind closed doors.The court has not heard logs of calls from the interior ministry in the crucial hours when many of the protesters were killed, prosecutors say, and many key insiders have not given evidence while others have only appeared behind closed doors.
Defence lawyer Farid al-Deeb has said that the Egyptian army was in charge of security when protesters were killed.Defence lawyer Farid al-Deeb has said that the Egyptian army was in charge of security when protesters were killed.
He said Mr Mubarak had imposed a curfew on the afternoon of 28 January and transferred responsibility to the head of the army. He said Mr Mubarak had imposed a curfew on the afternoon of 28 January and transferred responsibility to the head of the army. The police or interior ministry could therefore not have been ordered to open fire on demonstrations, he argued.
Mr Mubarak has attended his trial on a stretcher. But Mr al-Deeb did not accuse the army of ordering the killings. He said it had denied ever firing on protesters, and that he believed "the army, because it does not lie".
Lawyers for the 83-year-old said he risked suffering a stroke if he tried to sit up. On the last day, some of the defendants may finally address the court, including Gamal Mubarak and Habib al-Adly, who lawyer was quoted by an Egyptian newspaper as saying he would testify "for God and history".
Our correspondent says it is even possible that Mr Mubarak may finally offer his own version of events for the first time since he resigned.
The verdicts are reportedly not expected until March, as the judge has to review about 40,000 pages of documents.