JURIST - Paper Chase: Egypt prosecutor to appeal Mubarak trial verdict

[JURIST] Egyptian prosecutors plan to appeal the verdict in the trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak [Al Jazeera profile, JURIST news archive] and his associates, a court official told reporters on Sunday. An Egyptian court on Saturday found Mubarak guilty of complicity in the killing of protesters during the Arab Spring protests and sentenced him to life in prison [JURIST report]. The court also found former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli guilty of the same charge and sentenced him to a term of life imprisonment. Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal, along with six security officials, were acquitted of their charges of corruption. Mubarak himself was also acquitted of corruption charges. The chief prosecutor had asked for the death penalty [JURIST report] for Mubarak and some of his associates in his closing remarks. Under Egyptian law, the prosecutor must appeal the entire decision [AP report], including the life sentence, in order to have his case heard on appeal.

Mubarak's ten-month trial marks the first time a former Arab leader has been held accountable [Reuters report] for his actions in a court of law. Rights group Amnesty International [advocacy website] released a statement on Saturday criticizing the verdict [press release] as failing to deliver full justice because Mubarak's sons and security officials were not punished for their alleged participation in the violence. Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] also commented on Mubarak's sentence [press release], believing the verdict sends a message to future Egyptian leaders that they are not immune from the law. Mubarak's trial ended in February [JURIST report] after the lead prosecutor in the case asked the presiding judge for a death sentence in his closing remarks. The prosecution began presenting its case [JURIST report] against Mubarak in January. Mubarak's trial started [JURIST report] in August 2011 and made slow progress.