Hosni Mubarak: Egypt prosecutors seek death penalty

Prosecutors at the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have demanded he be given the death penalty.

Mr Mubarak is being tried in Cairo on charges of ordering the killing of protesters during unrest which led to his overthrow in February.

"The law foresees the death penalty for premeditated murder," prosecutor Mustafa Khater said, AFP reports.

The demand also applies for former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly and six other former security chiefs.

Mr Mubarak's two sons, one-time heir apparent Gamal and Alaa, face corruption charges in the same trial.

"How could the president of the republic not be aware of the demonstrations that broke out on January 25th?", chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman asked, according to AFP.

Mr Suleiman went on to argue that the then interior minister Habib el-Adly, who is also on trial, could "not have given the order to fire on demonstrators without having been instructed to do so by Mubarak."

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Charges and possible penalties

Hosni Mubarak: Conspiring in killing of protesters (15 years in prison or death penalty); abusing power to amass wealth (5-15 years)
Alaa and Gamal Mubarak: abusing power to amass wealth (5-15 years)
Former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six aides: conspiring in killing of protesters (15 years or death penalty)
Hussein Salem, business tycoon: tried in absentia for corruption (5-15 years in prison)

"If you had not issued these orders yourself, then where was your outburst of rage over the lives of your people?", Mr Suleiman asked, addressing Mr Mubarak directly, AP reports.

Given the severity of the charges, seeking the death penalty was always a possibility, but many Egyptians will be shocked to hear the demand put so bluntly for the first time in the trial, the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo reports.

However, whether Mr Mubarak will be executed or even convicted is another question entirely - the prosecution has complained of a lack of co-operation from the interior ministry in producing evidence and the case has been weakened by a key witness changing his testimony, he adds.

Some of Egypt's most powerful figures have testified since the trial began in August.

The head of the ruling military council, former Defence Minister Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, told a closed-door session in September that Mr Mubarak had never given orders to shoot protesters.

The trial has now been adjourned to 9 January.