The trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is due to resume today in the capital, Cairo The trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is due to resume today in the capital, Cairo. It was adjourned for a day after scuffles broke out in court on Monday between his supporters and opponents.
The 83-year-old is accused of ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising earlier this year which ended his rule. He denies the charges.
One of the first witnesses denied that Mr Mubarak's interior minister gave orders to shoot protesters.
Wednesday's hearing will be the fourth of the trial.
The court will today will hear more testimonies after police witnesses suggested this week that neither he nor his interior minister gave orders to shoot.
One of the lawyers representing families of victims voiced frustration with the witnesses at Monday’s session -- attended by Mubarak lying on a hospital trolley in the defendant’s cage -- saying they had given different answers before the trial.
“They have changed the testimonies they previously gave to the prosecution which makes them unreliable,” Amir Salem said, reflecting a view held by other lawyers representing victims’ families.
“We will have the testimonies of another four witnesses also from the police but they could be from different departments,” he said of Wednesday’s session.
A top police officer told the court on Monday he was not aware of any order to fire on protesters although he said police were given live ammunition to protect the Interior Ministry.
General Hussein Saeed Mohamed Moussa, in charge of communications for state security, said he believed the decision to issue arms was taken by a police officer, Ahmed Ramzi, who is on trial alongside Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli.
Two other police witnesses said they were told to exercise “self restraint” during the uprising.
Many Egyptians are angry with the police for the tough tactics they used during the uprising. Egyptian witnesses have said officers used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannon and live ammunition against demonstrators during the revolt.
“Our family members are gone. We carried their bodies, drenched in blood. If Mubarak is acquitted, you know what it means? The country's going to face more destruction,” Ola Ahmed, who had two cousins killed in the uprising, said on Monday.
Egypt’s justice minister agreed to let five Kuwaiti lawyers join the Mubarak defense team, the state news agency MENA said.
The Kuwaiti lawyers, who were not allowed into the last session, have said their decision to volunteer for Mubarak’s defense was in recognition for his role in supporting a US-led coalition that drove Iraqi forces out of the Gulf Arab state in 1991.