On Sunday a Cairo criminal court at the Police Academy postponed until Tuesday the trial of former president Hosni Mubarak, his sons Gamal and Alaa, former Minister of the Interior Habib El-Adly, and six presidential advisers, the second time the case was adjourned in as many days.
The defendants face charges that include inciting the killing of protesters during the 25 January Revolution, creating chaos and exporting underpriced fuel to Israel.
Sunday’s court, led by Judge Mahmoud Kamel Al-Rashidi, heard arguments from the defence team of Major General Ahmed Ramzi, former head of the Central Security Forces, Egypt’s riot control police.
Ramzi’s attorneys claimed the prosecution provided no proof that officials ordered police to fire live ammunition on protesters, reported Reuters-run news site Asway Masriya. The defence said that Ramzi urged that security forces use restraint, and only employed tear gas and batons to disperse crowds.
The defence team said that if firearms were used against protesters, the number of casualties would have been “hundreds of times higher”.
During the proceedings, Mubarak suffered from a bout of low blood pressure, and had to be removed from the defendants’ cage, where he received first aid. The court was recessed for half an hour for him to recover.
Mubarak’s trial, referred to by many as “The Trial of the Century”, has faced repeated delays. On Saturday, the hearing was adjourned until Sunday.
In February, prosecution announced that Mubarak would also stand trial with his two sons and face charges of embezzlement. Prosecution alleged that Mubarak and his sons embezzled EGP 125m ($18m) earmarked for presidential palaces.
