'Mubarak's health continues to deteriorate'; trials go on

Former Egyptian president's condition worsens as cancer spreads throughout his body; doctors say he is too weak for chemo, 'Al-Rai' reports.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Mubarak 311 Reuters (photo credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah )
Mubarak 311 Reuters
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah )
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s condition has deteriorated significantly in the past two days, as his resurgent colon cancer spread throughout his body, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai reported on Sunday.
According to the report, Mubarak’s doctors considered him too weak for chemotherapy and instead planned to take the surgical route. He also drifted in and out of a comatose state over the past few days, and the length of his survival at this point was unknown, the report said.
RELATED:
Egypt court sentences former minister to 30 years
Hosni Mubarak charged with murder in criminal court
Mubarak has been held in the hospital since April 13 when he suffered a heart attack during an interrogation concerning his role in the killing of demonstrators against his rule. Since then, he has been considered too sick to be moved to prison from his Sharm e-Sheikh residence.
At least 800 people died during 18 days of protests that toppled Mubarak, and more than 6,000 were injured by live ammunition, rubber bullets, water cannons and batons.
Upon hearing his charges, Mubarak, who was ousted from power in February, “was very sad and sorry because he did not imagine such accusations [as fraud and the killing of protesters].”
Mubarak’s lawyer Farid al-Deeb told CNN in an interview that the former president vehemently denied graft relating to public funds and ordering the killing of protesters in the revolution.
Meanwhile, Mubarak’s two sons, Alaa and Gamal, were also referred to the criminal court on charges of graft relating to public funds and “premeditated killing,” which carries the death penalty in Egypt. Since their arrests, the brothers’ remands have been systematically extended, like their father’s.
Many of Mubarak’s other former ministers and friends have similarly been tried and convicted of various crimes since the government was overthrown.

Reuters contributed to this report.