Judge Says TV Will Show Mubarak on Trial

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

CAIRO — The trial of former President Hosni Mubarak will be held in a large hall that can accommodate six times as many people as a regular courtroom, and will be broadcast on Egyptian state television, the judge who will preside over the trial said Sunday.

The judge, Ahmed Refaat, said the arrangements stemmed from the court’s “belief in the right of the people to be at ease.” Judge Refaat promised that the proceedings would be speedy, with “consecutive sessions” held to try the former president, his two sons, his former interior minister and other officials on charges including corruption and murder.

The announcement by Judge Refaat, made at a news conference where he took no questions, seemed intended to placate protesters who have complained about the slow pace of prosecution of former government officials and police officers accused of killing demonstrators during Egypt’s 18-day uprising, and the lack of public access to trials.

It was not clear whether the judge’s assurances would satisfy critics, and the judge did not answer one of the main questions about the trial: whether Mr. Mubarak will actually be present. The former president, a cancer survivor, has been held in custody in a hospital in Sharm el Sheikh since he suffered chest pains during his first interrogation; he has also repeatedly complained of other maladies. Last week he refused solid food, according to the doctors treating him, who said he was weak and losing weight.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/world/middleeast/01egypt.html