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February 21, 2012

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Prosecutor seeks death penalty for Mubarak

THE chief prosecutor in the trial of ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak said yesterday in his closing remarks that the former president should be given the death penalty for the killings of protesters in last year's uprising.

Mustafa Suleiman said Mubarak, who ruled over the Arab world's most populous country for nearly 30 years, clearly authorized use of live ammunition and a shoot-to-kill policy against peaceful protesters.

According to government estimates, around 850 were killed in the crackdown from January 25 to February 11, 2011.

For this, Suleiman told the presiding judges in Cairo, Mubarak and five co-defendants, including his longtime Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, should receive the maximum sentence.

"This is not a case about the killing of one or ten or 20 civilians, but a case of an entire nation," he said.

Listening attentively to the closing remarks, the 83-year-old Mubarak sat upright in his hospital bed in the courtroom cage.

His son Gamal and one-time heir apparent was seen in the defendants cage whispering into his father's ear from time to time. His elder son Alaa held a copy of the Quran and paced around nervously in the defendants cage, wringing his hands throughout much of the prosecution's remarks.

Both sons are facing corruption charges in the same trial.

Lawyers for the victims applauded when Suleiman said that Mubarak did not simply resign, but was ousted by popular will and toppled.





 

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