Egyptians Raged by Mubarak’s Verdict, Say Lenient Sentence

Sunday, 3 June 2012

Egyptians Raged by Mubarak’s Verdict, Say Lenient Sentence

Local Editor

Hundreds of Egyptians took to streets and gathered in Caio’s Tahrir Square in protest against what they feel were lenient sentences given to ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak and his security chiefs.

protesters gathered in Tahrir sqare on Saturday (Reuters)

Some of the demonstrators had slept in tents or out in the open overnight in the iconic square, epicenter of an anti-regime revolt that ousted Mubarak in 2011 after three decades of autocratic rule.

"We intend to stay today and possibly tomorrow. We expect a lot more people to come during the day," AFP news agency quoted Omar Abdelkader, a young protester in Tahrir Square, as saying on Sunday.
Around 20,000 people had taken to the vast intersection on Saturday after a judge sentenced Mubarak, 84, and his interior minister Habib al-Adly to life for their role in the deaths of more than 800 protesters during last year's revolt, but acquitted six security chiefs on the same charges.

Corruption charges against Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal, were also dropped because of the “expiry of a statute of limitations,” and the ousted leader was acquitted in one of the graft cases.

'CONTINUE REVOLUTION'

Also on Saturday, Muslim Brotherhood presidential hopeful Mohammed Mursi arrived in Tahrir Square to join thousands of protesters.

Earlier he urged Egyptians to continue their "revolution", saying protesters would guarantee a free election and the transfer of power from the ruling military.

"All of us, my brothers, must realize in this period that the continuation of the revolution, and the revolutionaries' staying put in their positions in the squares, is the only guarantee to achieve the goals," he said at a news conference.

Mursi, faces Mubarak's last premier Ahmed Shafiq in a run-off on June 16 and 17.
As Mursi criticized Mubaraks’ sentence, Shafiq called on Egyptians to accept the verdict.