An Egyptian Court ordered the release of deposed former President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday, adding an unexpected and potentially dangerous dynamic to the ongoing turmoil in the country.
Mubarak was ousted in January 2011 during the “Arab Spring” uprisings, leading to the election of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. But following days of mass protests, the military toppled Morsi in early July and installed an interim government, sparking nearly two months of clashes and political unrest.
“The army has brought back Mubarak’s regime, the same regime,” Guma Abdel Alim told a Reuters reporter outside a bicycle shop in central Cairo.
Mubarak had been sentenced to life in prison for failing to prevent the deaths of protesters during the popular uprising to unseat him. But the ailing 85-year-old appealed and was granted a retrial earlier this year. His lawyer said he may be released as soon as Thursday