Hosni Mubarak coma rumours denied

Former Egyptian president in stable medical condition according to sources at Sharm el-Sheikh hospital Hosni Mubarak is believed to be in a stable medical condition, following earlier reports suggesting the former Egyptian president had slipped into a coma. The 83-year-old is currently in a hospital in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, awaiting trial on charges of corruption and the unlawful killing of protesters during this year’s nationwide uprising against his rule. “I was informed about the sudden deterioration in Mubarak’s health and I am now on my way to Sharm el-Sheikh,” said Mubarak’s lawyer Farid el-Deeb. “All that I know so far is that the president is in a full coma.” But sources at the hospital where Mubarak is being treated denied there had been any decline in his condition. The facility’s director told state television that el-Deeb’s comments were inaccurate. Speculation about Mubarak’s medical condition has been rife since the western-backed dictator was toppled in February, and has intensified in recent weeks as the scheduled date of his court case, August 3rd, fast approaches. Rumours of Mubarak falling into a coma have circulated before, as have allegations that he has secretly travelled to Saudi Arabia for hospital treatment despite a judicial ruling ordering him to remain under detention in Sharm. His two sons Alaa and Gamal – the latter being Mubarak’s one-time heir-apparent to the presidency – have both been remanded in custody at Tora Prison in Cairo, and are also scheduled to face trial next month. If convicted of ordering police to open fire on unarmed demonstrators, Mubarak could face the death penalty. Almost a thousand people died in the 18-day revolt, and seeing Mubarak in the dock has been a key demand of protesters – tens of thousands of whom have returned to the streets in recent weeks calling on the interim authorities to speed up the process of holding Mubarak and senior members of his regime to account. Egypt’s Supreme Council of Armed Forces (Scaf), which assumed power in February and has promised to give way to a democratically-elected civilian government later this year, has been accused of leniency towards the country’s former leader, who was not put under arrest until several weeks after his resignation. The postponement of other key court cases, such as that of former interior minister Habib el-Adly, has generated an angry backlash from ordinary Egyptians and helped fuel violent street clashes between protesters and police in Cairo, Suez and other cities earlier this month. Hosni Mubarak Egypt Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Africa Protest Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 17, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.