News Coverage prepared for: The European Union delegation to Egypt . Disclaimer: “This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of authors of articles and under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of IPSOS or the European Union.” 1 . Thematic Headlines Domestic Scene Mubarak Sentenced to Life in Prison Mubarak Refuses to Leave Plane to Prison Adli Ignores Chants of Martyrs’ Families in Court Thousands Converge in Tahrir after MubarakVerdict Interior Ministry to Face Attempts to Violate Legitimacy Clinton Refuses to Comment on Mubarak Trial Verdict Shafiq Comments on Mubarak Trial Deputy MB Leader Involved in Corruption Cases Lawsuit against Morsi Sons Egyptian Expatriates Start Voting in Runoffs Ben-Eliezer Condemns Mubarak Trial The Trial In the Aftermath of the “Trial of the Century” Egyptian Expatriates Vote in the Runoffs The Trial in Gomhouriya Retribution Achieved in Mubarak’s Trial Anger Returns to Tahrir Square Clashes between Mubarak Supporters and Martyrs Families Court’s Verdict: A Major Setback Commission: Elections Will be Held on Time 2 Newspapers (3/06/2012) Pages: 1 Author: Ahrma reporters The Trial Ousted President Husni Mubarak and former Minister of Interior Habib al-Adili were sentenced to life imprisonment. Six leading figures in al-Adili’s ministry were acquitted. The court also proved Mubarak’s sons Ala and Jamal Mubarak not guilty however; they will stay in jail because they are facing other charges. The verdicts shocked the Egyptian public. Victims’ and martyrs’ families who were waiting for a just punishment for the killers of their sons and relatives were devastated at the verdict. Mass demonstrations erupted in Tahrir Square. Protesters flocked to the Square to express their discontentment at the “illegitimate” rulings. Clashes took place outside the court leaving 24 injuries. The Attorney General will file a claim at the Court of Cassation against the ruling. Al- Adili’s lawyer will also resort to the Court of Cassation. 3 Pages: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Author: many authors In the Aftermath of the “Trial of the Century” It’s the trial of “the century;” that was how Egyptians called the trial of Mubarak. A state of devastation prevailed in Egypt after the ruling. Al-Ahram reported the following reactions. Husni Mubarak’s health condition deteriorated after the ruling. “That was a conspiracy against me,” he said. Mubarak reportedly refused to get off the plane that took him to Tora prison where the hospital had been equipped and prepared to receive him. It took two and half hours to convince Mubarak to leave the plane while he was scorning everyone around. The ruling deprives Mubarak from his military rank and all the medals. On page 4, al-Ahram reported on the reactions of the presidential candidates and public figures. The Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Muhammad Mursi said he would retry Mubarak if he became president. Ahmad Shafiq stated that the trial asserted that the former regime could not be reproduced. Hamdeen Sabahi criticized the ruling. “The martyrs’ bloods would not accept the ruling and the revolution will go on,” Sabahi tweeted. Muhammad al-Baradei, founder of al-Dustour party considered the ruling to be a step in the process of the abortion of the revolution. 4 Abd al-Munim Abu al-Futouh called for reforming the judiciary, stating that the victims and their families had the right to just punishment of their killers and attackers. Dr. Issam al-Aryan, head of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Peoples’ Assembly stated that the evidences that could prove Mubarak guilty were not presented to the court. Ayman Nour, head of the Revolution Future Party declared that he would support Mursi in the run-off round of the presidential elections as a protest against the “ridiculous rulings. Angry demonstrations erupted in Tahrir. A demonstration headed to the High Court of Justice with the families of the Revolution victims and martyrs. 15 people were injured in the clashes that took place in front of the Police Academy, where Mubarak and the other suspects were tried. Angry demonstrations spread to other Egyptian governorates. Al-Ahram reported on the governorates’ anger on page 6. In Alexandria angry demonstrations erupted calling for renewing the revolution. Al-Ahram reported on protests in Daqahliya, Luxor, Arish, Suez, Sharqiya, Assyout, Qalyoubiya, Fayyoum, Kafr al-Shaikh, Sohag, Minia, Munoufiya and Port Said. In Ismailiya, people were happy to hear the life imprisonment ruling against Mubarak. 5 Page: 1 Author: Yousri el-Badri Mubarak Refuses to Leave Plane to Prison Ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who was sentenced by a court to life in prison, refused to get off the plane that was taking him from the court premises to Tora Prison, where he is expected to serve his term. It took four hours to convince the stubborn former president to leave the flight to the prison’s hospital amid tight security. He was admitted to the intense care unit at the prison hospital, which has been pre- equipped to receive the former president at a cost of EGP 5 million, security sources said. Mubarak and his interior minister Habib el-Adli were both sentence to life in prison for complicity in killing protesters during the January revolution. 6 Page: 4 Author: Ahmed Shalabi, Fatma Abu-Shanab and Ibrahim Mostafa Mubarak Sentenced to Life in Prison The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced former president Hosni Mubarak to life in prison for complicity in killing peaceful protesters during the 25 January Revolution. The court acquitted Mubarak in the gas export deal to Israel case and ruled the expiry of the statute of limitation in the case of land sale deals in Sharm El-Sheikh. The Mubarak sons, Alaa and Gamal, and fugitive businessman Hussein Salem were acquitted in the Sharm el-Sheikh case as well because the statute of limitation has expired. Former interior minister Habib el-Adli was also sentenced to life in prison over complicity in killing protesters. The surprise verdict in the trial was the acquittal of all six aides of Adli from charges pertaining to killing protesters. 7 Page: 4 Author: Ahmed Shalabi Adli Ignores Chants of Martyrs’ Families in Court Former interior minister Habib el-Adli entered the defendants’ cage in the courtroom set for his trial over killing protesters during the revolution. The revolution’s martyrs relatives chanted against him when they spotted him in the courtroom but he heeded them no attention. Adli entered the room putting on the prison’s blue uniform as he was sentenced before to 17 years in prison over corruption, profiteering and money-laundering charges. As soon as the court verdict was issued – he got a life imprisonment term – Adli rested his back on a chair, closed his eyes and covered his cheek with one hand. He waved the other hand in a sign that he was sentenced before and this ruling did not matter much. His six aides, who were being tried over the same charge of killing protesters, got acquitted. They hid their joyous feelings because they did not want to provoke the relatives of the revolution victims, who were infuriated by the ruling. After leaving the courtroom, the acquitted assistants kept chanting “all hail justice”. 8 Page: 8 Author: Mohamed Fares, Suzanne Atef, Hanan Shamrdal, Fadi Francais, Mina Ghali, Atef Badr and Essam Abu-Sedera Thousands Converge in Tahrir after MubarakVerdict Thousands of protesters swarmed Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square to reject the court rulings issued against former president Hosni Mubarak, his two sons, former interior minister Habib el- Adli and his top six aides. Thousands of protesters announced entering into an open-ended sit-in in the square after closing its exits and entrances. Dozens of the revolution martyrs’ relatives also announced taking part in the sit-in. Mubarak and Adli were sentenced to life in prison for complicity in killing protesters during the revolution. Adli’s security aides were acquitted of the charge over lack of evidence. Mubarak and his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, were acquitted of profiteering from the gas export deal with Israel. Fugitive businessman Hussein Salem was also vindicated in the same case. 9 Pages: 3 Author: Muhammad Mursi Egyptian Expatriates Vote in the Runoffs The run-off round starts today in Egyptian embassies and consulates in 166 countries around the world. 586 thousand voters will cast ballots to choose the president. Saudi Arabia contains the biggest Egyptian expatriates’ community with 361 thousand eligible Egyptian voters. Kuwait comes two with 126 thousands, then the UAE with 38 thousands and the USA with 32 thousand. 99 eligible Egyptian voters live in Israel. Voting will end on Saturday evening. Secretary General of the High Presidential Elections Commission said vote counting would start immediately after the end of voting. Similar news was reported in al-Ahram, p. 9 10 Pages: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Author: many authors The Trial Like all the other Egyptian newspapers, Gomhouriya focused on the trial of Mubarak, his sons, the former minister of Interior Habib al-Adili and six leading figures in his ministry. Al-Gomhouriya reported on Mubarak’s discontentment at the ruling. It also reported on reactions of the public and different public and political figures. Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Abu al-Naja called on Egyptians to respect the judicial rulings. Clashes took place outside the court and resulted in 21 injuries. Al-Gomhouriya reported that Kuwaiti lawyers attended the session. The families of the revolution victims organized angry demonstrations calling for a new revolution. The rulings shocked the public and angry protests erupted in Tahrir Square and different governorates.