Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper directed questions to legal and military experts about the legality of Mubarak’s absence from the trial as an eyewitness. Some experts opined that Mubarak returned to military service after he left his job as Egypt’s president in February 2011, according to law No.35 of 1979 concerning commanders of the armed forces who participated in the 1973 War. Mubarak’s lawyer Farid al-Deeb said, “Mubarak will remain in the military service throughout his lifespan. [Summoning him as an eyewitness] in the case of breaking into prisons requires approval of the military institution, according to law No. 35 of 1979.”Deeb added that he attended the trail session instead of Mubarak, as the military judiciary, not the public judiciary, should have notified Mubarak to attend the trail.

Source: Egypt Independent December 04, 2018 13:30 UTC