Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak appeared in court today for the first time, marking a milestone for Egypt as the authoritarian leader of three decades is tried for corruption and for ordering the killing of protesters who ultimately swept him from power.
Mr. Mubarak’s speedy trial has been a key demand of protesters, and Egyptians watching on a large screen outside the compound where the trial is being held cheered when they saw their former ruler inside the metal cage used for defendants in Egyptian courts.
“If this process would proceed and there are questions about fairness, this could be very very damaging to Egypt's future,” says Marieke Wierda, director of the criminal justice program at the New York-based International Center for Transitional Justice.