Retrial of former Egyptian president Mubarak begins

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today appeared in court for a fresh trial in a case related to deaths of protestors during the uprising against his rule in 2011.
His two sons, Gamal and Alaa, along with former interior minister Habib El-Adly and six former aides were also in court today to face the charges.
Mubarak, who was convicted in the case in 2012 was granted a retrial after he filed an appeal citing procedural irregularities in the earlier trial.
The first retrial which was to start in April fell apart after the presiding judge Mustafa Hassan Abdullah referred it to the Cairo Appeal Court, reported Ahram Online.

Judge Mahmoud Kamel El-Rashidi will now take over the proceedings.
Outside the trial venue, a few supporters of Mubarak as well as some family members of the deceased protestors gathered, prompting security forces to separate the two groups to prevent any untoward incident, the Cairo-based English website reported.

According to estimates, about 850 people were killed in the 2011 crackdown.
The 85-year old came into the courtroom sitting up on a stretcher dressed in white and wearing sunglasses.
A Cairo court on Sunday also upheld a 15-day detention order against the 85-year-old in relation to a corruption case brought by the Illicit Gains Authority, Ahram Online added.

His sons and El-Adly are also in the dock for alleged corruption charges.