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| Mubarak Appears at Trial, Which Ends Abruptly in Egypt | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| CAIRO — Former President Hosni Mubarak sat up, waved and even smirked on Saturday as he appeared at a hearing to open his retrial on charges related to the killing of protesters at the end of his rule. | CAIRO — Former President Hosni Mubarak sat up, waved and even smirked on Saturday as he appeared at a hearing to open his retrial on charges related to the killing of protesters at the end of his rule. |
| The hearing was the first time that Mr. Mubarak, 84, had been seen in public in nearly a year, and his appearance was brief. The presiding judge, Mustafa Hassan Abdullah, ended the court session almost as soon as it had begun by recusing himself, citing a conflict of interest, presumably because he had ruled in related cases. | The hearing was the first time that Mr. Mubarak, 84, had been seen in public in nearly a year, and his appearance was brief. The presiding judge, Mustafa Hassan Abdullah, ended the court session almost as soon as it had begun by recusing himself, citing a conflict of interest, presumably because he had ruled in related cases. |
| That left Egyptians to puzzle over Mr. Mubarak’s demeanor; he appeared to display a new confidence in his case or perhaps a certain schadenfreude about the state of the country after his ouster. | That left Egyptians to puzzle over Mr. Mubarak’s demeanor; he appeared to display a new confidence in his case or perhaps a certain schadenfreude about the state of the country after his ouster. |
| When he appeared in court a few months after he was forced from power, viewers were transfixed by the televised image of the former autocrat lying on a hospital stretcher in the metal cage used in Egyptian courts as a docket. His two sons, on trial with him for corruption, stood together in front of him to try to protect their father from humiliation. Mr. Mubarak was filmed at one session picking his nose. | When he appeared in court a few months after he was forced from power, viewers were transfixed by the televised image of the former autocrat lying on a hospital stretcher in the metal cage used in Egyptian courts as a docket. His two sons, on trial with him for corruption, stood together in front of him to try to protect their father from humiliation. Mr. Mubarak was filmed at one session picking his nose. |
| Over the two years since he left office, his lawyers have leaked recurring reports about his failing health in an apparent effort to win him sympathy or better treatment. A false report from Egypt’s state news agency last June even pronounced him “clinically dead,” although his lawyers later said that in fact he had slipped in the shower, received treatment for a blood clot and had recovered. He remains housed in a military hospital on the Nile in Cairo rather than in a prison because of concerns about his health. | Over the two years since he left office, his lawyers have leaked recurring reports about his failing health in an apparent effort to win him sympathy or better treatment. A false report from Egypt’s state news agency last June even pronounced him “clinically dead,” although his lawyers later said that in fact he had slipped in the shower, received treatment for a blood clot and had recovered. He remains housed in a military hospital on the Nile in Cairo rather than in a prison because of concerns about his health. |
| On Saturday morning, he was once again wheeled into the court prone on a stretcher, wearing dark sunglasses and a white jogging suit. But instead of crossing his hands over his chest like an enfeebled patient, he cradled them under his head to prop it up and look around. He arrived in the metal cage sitting up onn his stretcher as though on a lounge chair. He waved to the courtroom several times with a signature turn of the wrist he used as an all-powerful autocrat addressing his people. | On Saturday morning, he was once again wheeled into the court prone on a stretcher, wearing dark sunglasses and a white jogging suit. But instead of crossing his hands over his chest like an enfeebled patient, he cradled them under his head to prop it up and look around. He arrived in the metal cage sitting up onn his stretcher as though on a lounge chair. He waved to the courtroom several times with a signature turn of the wrist he used as an all-powerful autocrat addressing his people. |
| Though he kept his lips pursed, he turned up the corners of his mouth several times in an unmistakable smile. No longer stone-faced and sullen, he chatted with his sons, or sat with his fingers pressed together in front of his chin as though he were listening in concentration from behind the desk in his office. | Though he kept his lips pursed, he turned up the corners of his mouth several times in an unmistakable smile. No longer stone-faced and sullen, he chatted with his sons, or sat with his fingers pressed together in front of his chin as though he were listening in concentration from behind the desk in his office. |
| When the judge recused himself, a brief period of chaos erupted in the courtroom as advocates for civilians killed during the revolution shouted for revenge. “The people want the execution of the ousted!,” they chanted. | When the judge recused himself, a brief period of chaos erupted in the courtroom as advocates for civilians killed during the revolution shouted for revenge. “The people want the execution of the ousted!,” they chanted. |
| Mr. Mubarak will remain in custody while the courts seek a new judge, which could take weeks or months. The retrial will go on for months after that. And even if he and his sons are acquitted, they will not walk free. Prosecutors have filed additional corruption charges that ensure that the Mubaraks will remain in custody. | Mr. Mubarak will remain in custody while the courts seek a new judge, which could take weeks or months. The retrial will go on for months after that. And even if he and his sons are acquitted, they will not walk free. Prosecutors have filed additional corruption charges that ensure that the Mubaraks will remain in custody. |
| Mr. Mubarak’s first trial ended last year in a flimsy conviction that was soon overturned. The judge had acquitted him and his sons of initial corruption charges because of a statute of limitations. And even while sentencing Mr. Mubarak to spend the rest of his life in prison, the judge had acknowledged that the prosecution had presented no evidence that he had actively directed the killing of protesters. The judge convicted Mr. Mubarak on the questionable grounds of general responsibility for police killings, even though the same judge acquitted many top police officials. | Mr. Mubarak’s first trial ended last year in a flimsy conviction that was soon overturned. The judge had acquitted him and his sons of initial corruption charges because of a statute of limitations. And even while sentencing Mr. Mubarak to spend the rest of his life in prison, the judge had acknowledged that the prosecution had presented no evidence that he had actively directed the killing of protesters. The judge convicted Mr. Mubarak on the questionable grounds of general responsibility for police killings, even though the same judge acquitted many top police officials. |
| And the judge rejected requests for the death penalty. Under Egyptian law, that means Mr. Mubarak cannot receive the death penalty at his retrial for the same charges. | And the judge rejected requests for the death penalty. Under Egyptian law, that means Mr. Mubarak cannot receive the death penalty at his retrial for the same charges. |
| Egypt, meanwhile, is now more preoccupied with its current problems than retribution against its former ruler. Instead of hanging dummies of Mr. Mubarak from lampposts, street protesters are more likely to carry effigies of President Mohamed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, or even the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide, as that Islamist group’s spiritual leader Mohamed Badie is known. | Egypt, meanwhile, is now more preoccupied with its current problems than retribution against its former ruler. Instead of hanging dummies of Mr. Mubarak from lampposts, street protesters are more likely to carry effigies of President Mohamed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, or even the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide, as that Islamist group’s spiritual leader Mohamed Badie is known. |
| Instead of the obsessive news coverage that preceded Mr. Mubarak’s first trial, the Egyptian news media was more preoccupied this week with the crisis in Egypt’s deteriorating economy after two years of mayhem in the streets — shortages of diesel fuel, worries about critical supplies of wheat and subsidized bread and Mr. Morsi’s negotiations with international lenders for desperately needed financial support. | Instead of the obsessive news coverage that preceded Mr. Mubarak’s first trial, the Egyptian news media was more preoccupied this week with the crisis in Egypt’s deteriorating economy after two years of mayhem in the streets — shortages of diesel fuel, worries about critical supplies of wheat and subsidized bread and Mr. Morsi’s negotiations with international lenders for desperately needed financial support. |
| Human rights advocates are now focused on cases of police abuse or legal actions threatening freedom of expression under the new government rather than the crimes of the old one. On Saturday, many who once hung on every word of the Mubarak trial had turned on another case, in an Alexandria court, where the political activist Hossam Mustafa is on trial over accusations that he slapped a prosecutor. | Human rights advocates are now focused on cases of police abuse or legal actions threatening freedom of expression under the new government rather than the crimes of the old one. On Saturday, many who once hung on every word of the Mubarak trial had turned on another case, in an Alexandria court, where the political activist Hossam Mustafa is on trial over accusations that he slapped a prosecutor. |
| “I am much more concerned about this young man who has been sentenced to two years in prison because he reddened the cheeks of a prosecutor,” said Ghada Shahbandar, of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. “At this moment, Mubarak is totally irrelevant.” | “I am much more concerned about this young man who has been sentenced to two years in prison because he reddened the cheeks of a prosecutor,” said Ghada Shahbandar, of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. “At this moment, Mubarak is totally irrelevant.” |