Protests sweep Egypt

involvement in the killing of hundreds of protesters during the uprising that ousted them from power last year.
Mubarak, the only leader toppled in the Arab Spring to be put in the dock, could have been sent to the gallows as demanded by the prosecution. He was also cleared of graft charges. Six police chiefs were acquitted, and Mubarak’s sons Alaa and Gamal had corruption charges against them dropped on a technicality, prompting protesters to take to the streets in Cairo, Alexandria and other Egyptian cities.
The state prosecutor’s office said he had ordered “the start of the appeals procedure” against sentences in the trial, but did not clarify whether it would appeal all the verdicts or just the acquittals.
The prosecution had asked for the death sentence against the ousted president and his security aides, but it has received much criticism over its preparations for the case. Mubarak’s defence has also said it would appeal. Both the toppled dictator’s defence team and lawyers representing his victims said the life sentence verdict could easily be appealed, triggering fears among protesters that he could be ruled innocent.
Around 20 000 people took to Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square on Saturday after the verdicts were issued. — AFP.