Country Watch
A Look at the Economic, Political, and Social Events that Shape International Law Around the World
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Stands Trial for Killing Protesters
On August 3, 2011, the trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak commenced at a tem- porary court at the Police Academy in north Cai- ro. Mubarak faces a litany of charges, including corruption and the premeditative killing of peaceful protesters in Tahir Square during demonstrations that took place in January and February of 2011. If he is found guilty of issuing orders to fire on the protestors, Mubarak could face the death penalty.
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Hosni Mubarak began his professional career as an Egyptian Air Force officer before being appointed Vice President by Anwar El Sadat in 1975. Muba- rak assumed the presidency on October 14, 1981, following Sadat’s assassination by Islamic extrem- ists who had taken issue with the late president’s role in brokering the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.
Since the implementation of Emergency Law No. 162 in 1967, Egypt has operated as a semi-presi- dential republic. The law greatly expanded police powers and state-wide censorship, while simul- taneously suspending virtually all constitutional rights. Life under the draconian rule saw political and institutional corruption permeate every level of government, resulting in a massive income gap and the virtual extinction of the middle class.
During his tenure Mubarak was generally support- ive of Israel and viewed by most Western nations as a critical ally in the Middle East, but many of his own people’s perceptions of him differed dras- tically. Political dissenters were often jailed with- out trials and subjected to indefinite detention in undocumented holding facilities. Free speech was closely monitored and heavily restricted. Bureau- cratic institutions and registration requirements expanded, allowing Mubarak and those in his in-
ner circle to amass incredible fortunes at the ex- pense of Egypt’s lower classes.
But Mubarak’s reign as one of Egypt’s longest-serv- ing rulers came to an abrupt end on February 11, 2011, when he resigned his post during the height of the demonstrations which became known as the “Egyptian revolution”. The Egyptian revolution was part of a wider movement called the “Arab Spring,” which saw similar protests in other Middle East and North African countries, including Bahrain, Tunisia, Jordan, and Syria. In each instance, swarms of frustrated citizens took to the streets to demand sweeping governmental reforms and an end to the endemic corruption that had plagued their respec- tive countries for so many years.
Egypt’s revolution began on January 25, 2011, with protestors focused primarily on ousting the Muba- rak regime and ending emergency law. Violent clashes erupted, pitting demonstrators against the police and eventually the military. Though it has not been determined whether Mubarak actually gave the order to fire on the protesters, it is undisputed that at some point, they were indeed fired upon by military or police personnel. The number of dead and wounded is also uncertain, but many sources indicate that hundreds may have been killed, with many more injured.
On February 1, Mubarak offered a compromise: he would step down as president after the Sep- tember elections but not before, and he would in- stitute political and constitutional reforms. But the protestors made it clear they would accept nothing less than his immediate, unconditional departure. So on February 11, Mubarak succumbed to the mounting pressure and resigned as Egypt’s presi- dent, entrusting his leadership responsibilities to the Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces.
ILSA Quarterly » volume 20 » issue 1 » October 2011
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