Mixed reactions over decision to stop airing Mubarak’s trial on TV

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

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By Al Arabiya.net

After being glued to their TV screens watching former president Hosni Mubarak behind bars and fascinated by such a historic precedent, Egyptians were taken by surprise when the presiding judge announced Monday that the trials would no longer be aired until the verdicts are issued.

The decision drew mixed reactions with supporters citing confidentiality and detractors concerned about transparency.

The decision to stop airing the trial is basically due to the confidential information both former Vice President Oman Suleiman and head of the Higher Council for the Armed Forces Mohamed Hussein Tantawi are expected to uncover during their testimonies, said Amani Al Taweel, expert at Al Ahram Center for Strategic Studies.

“The revelations during the trial concern national security and that is why the judge needs to be very careful on who hears this information,” she said.

Dr. Wahid Abdel Meguid, also an expert at Al Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, begged to differ. He said the decision gave the impression that the promised transparency of the trial is no longer in effect.

“The point of airing the trial is to reassure the people of the transparency of the procedure especially since it took a while to happen, which already aroused suspicion and made peoples patience wear thin.”

That is exactly why, Dr. Meguid added, the Higher Council for the Armed Forces welcomed the live transmission of the trial even though a previous court ruling had banned it.

“The ban will give a negative impression of the trial and this would be unfair to the judges taking part in it.”

Omar Salah, member of the Revolution Coalition, said that several political powers are to meet and discuss ways of submitting a request to revoke this decision.

“We also expect families and lawyers of martyrs to lobby for making the trials public once more,” he said.

Apart from those who are for or against the ban for strategic or national concerns, one group celebrated the decision for other reasons. Mubarak’s supporters who were at the trial or gathered around the Police Academy where the trial took place cheered upon hearing the judge’s announcement. They had their reservations about the entire Egyptian populace seeing their former president bed-ridden behind bars.

Two trials merged

However, the decision by the court that was welcomed by the majority of Egyptians was the merging of the trial of Mubarak and his former Interior Minister Habib Al Adli in the case of killing peaceful protestors.

“Both Muabarak and Adli are responsible for the death of unarmed protestors and that is why it makes sense that both cases be treated as one,” Ms. Taweel said.

Mr. Salah agreed and lauded the decision to merge the cases.

“This was originally the request of the martyrs’ lawyers and granting it makes us feel optimistic that justice will be served.”

(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)
URL: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/08/15/162454.html