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Egypt’s Mubarak pleads not guilty

04 August 2011 01:06 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Egypt’s ousted ruler Hosni Mubarak has pleaded not guilty in the first court session to charges of ordering the killing of protesters during the 18-day revolution that put an end to his 30-year rule, APA reports quoting Press TV.

"I entirely deny all those accusations," Mubarak said in reply to the accusations, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The presiding judge Ahmed Refaat accused the dictator of giving authority to former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly to use live ammunition to crush demonstrations. Mubarak could face the death penalty if convicted.

Mubarak, lying on a hospital bed inside a metal cage, also denied charges of corruption and abuse of power.

Mubarak’s sons, Alaa and Gamal, present at the court with their father, also denied charges against them. They face allegations of graft and complicity in the murder of demonstrators. The judge said the next hearing would be held on August 15.

About 850 protesters were killed during the historic revolution.

Refaat said after the session that Mubarak would be moved to International Medical Centre in Cairo instead of the hospital in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where he has been since April.

The trial of Adly and six former security officials charged with involvement in the killing of protesters will resume on Thursday.

Adly has already been sentenced to twelve years for corruption.

Wednesday trial was held amid tight security as some 3,000 soldiers and police were ringing the courthouse at the Police Academy.