“After almost three decades as the head of one of the most iconic countries in the world, Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak stepped down in the 2011 uprising that shook the world. Having been charged with the killing of hundreds of protesters during the riots of the uprising, the former president still managed to get his way.
“On Saturday, an Egyptian court dismissed murder charges against Mubarak, after a technicality led to the case being cited as “inadmissible.”
“For the young activists who started the uprising almost four years ago, after being inspired by the Arab Spring, this ruling represents yet another major setback. Many of them have withdrawn from politics or are currently serving time in jail, thanks to former military chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
“Mubarak, now in his 86th year, stated in court that “he felt his life was in danger from the protesters.” He recalled they were “large men, looked like demons and kept trying to grab my weapon.” He also stated that he “would do the same thing all over again without a shadow of a doubt, if he had the chance.”
“As a reminder, close to 900 protesters were killed in the uprising that lasted a full 18 days. February 11th is when Mubarak finally handed over power to the military and stepped down.
“I regret everything that happened, those were my countrymen; however, despite that fact, I can say that I have a clear conscience and am able to sleep easy at night, knowing full well that what I did was justified”, he said to the press after the court proceedings.
He also added: “I know that time can’t be turned back, as much as I would like to. The only thing we can do now is move on.”
