Egypt’s top appeals court found Hosni Mubarak innocent on Thursday of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule, in a final ruling that could see the former president walk free.
After an all-day hearing, Judge Ahmed Abdel Qawi announced: “The court has found the defendant innocent.”
The court also rejected demands by lawyers of the victims to reopen civil suits, leaving no remaining option for appeal or retrial.
Earlier on Thursday, Hosni Mubarak denied involvement in the killing of the protesters.
Mubarak, 88, was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators, sowing chaos and creating a security vacuum during an 18-day revolt which began in Jan. 2011, but an appeals court ordered a retrial.
That retrial culminated in 2014 in an Egyptian court dropping the case. But the public prosecution appealed the decision and ordered another retrial by Egypt’s top appeals court.
Source: Reuters
