Egyptian activists called for mass demonstrations on Tuesday to protest against verdicts handed down in the strongman’s murder trial. The pro-democracy April 6 movement, the Coalition of Revolution Youth and the Maspero Youth Union among others called for a mass protest at 1500 GMT on Tuesday. Thousands of protesters gathered in Cairo’s iconic al-Tahrir Square late Sunday to protest the acquittals given to nine defendants in the major trial that sent former president Hosni Mubarak and his interior minister Habib al-Adly to jail for life. Demonstrators demanded the formation of a civilian presidential council including defeated candidates Abdul Moniem Abul Fotouh and Hamdeen Sabbahi united under the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, who is running in the elections run-off, Mohammed Mursi, Egypt’s daily al-Masry al-Youm reported. Protesters also called for the retrial of all defendants in the case and called for the Political Isolation Law to be applied to Ahmed Shafiq, who is competing against Mursi in the election run-off on June 16 and 17.
Egyptian pro-democracy campaigners called for a new uprising, saying justice was not served by the trial of Mubarak and his companions. Since the verdict was announced on Saturday, protesters have taken to the streets across the country to protest sentences they believe were too soft. The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Mubarak and Adly to life imprisonment for failing to stop the killing of demonstrators during the Jan. 25 uprising. The court acquitted six top security officials in the same case, as well as Mubarak’s sons Gamal and Alaa and fugitive business tycoon Hussein Salem, for corruption charges.
According to a report published by the online edition of Egypt’s state-run al-Ahram daily, prominent Islamist preacher Safwat Hegazi, who is close to the Muslim Brotherhood group, led tens of demonstrators early on Sunday chanting “We are not tired, we want a complete revolution.” In the hours that followed more small demonstrations arrived. More protests joint at the square for the rest of the day.
Full Article: Mubarak verdict adds to tension before Egypt vote amid calls for more mass protests.
