Egypt’s Higher Administrative Court, headed by Ahmed Abo El-Azm, approved on Saturday an appeal filed by ex-president Hosni Mubarak, his prime minister, and interior minister to cancel a previous ruling fining them on charges of cutting means of communication during the uprising that began against the regime on 25 January 2011.
In May 2011, the court had ordered Mubarak, former prime minister Ahmed Nazif, and former interior minister Habib Al-Adly to pay a combined fine of EGP 540m as compensation for the damages caused to the Egyptian economy due to the regime’s decision to cut communication services.
The three former officials appealed the decision at that time.
During the 25 January revolution that ousted Mubarak in 2011, all electronic communications in the country, including the internet, mobile phones, and landlines, were subject to a government-imposed blackout beginning on 28 January for several days, which prevented protesters from communicating.
Mubarak and Al-Adly are still facing trials on other chargers. Meanwhile, Nazif has been acquitted of all charges against him, including two different corruption and profiteering cases.
