Egypt's former President Husni Mubarak is dead
After the death of Egypt’s former long-term ruler Husni Mubarak, the North African country proclaimed a three-day mourning for the state. It applies from this Wednesday, announced the Presidential Office on Tuesday.
Mubarak had died on Tuesday at the age of 91 years. According to his family, his funeral is scheduled for Wednesday. The ceremony is said to take place in a large mosque east of Cairo.
The long-time head of state had 2011 been overthrown during the Arab Spring. Mubarak was for almost 30 years at the top of the most populous country in the Arab world.
Mubarak had spent most of his last years in a military hospital in Cairo. There were several lawsuits against him, in which he was partially sentenced to prison terms. In March 2017 the Egyptian Supreme Court then cleared the ex-head of state of the charge of complicity in the death of more than 800 Protesters during the uprising and released him.
The son of a civil servant from the Nile Delta was after his inauguration 1981 mainly due to his efforts to mediate in the Middle East conflict and to adhere to Peace treaty with Israel as an important partner of the West. Human rights violations and postponed elections by the authoritarian ruler did nothing to change that.
Netanyahu and Abbas pay tribute to Mubarak for his role as mediator
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid tribute to the deceased. Mubarak was a leader who made a contribution to “peace” with Israel, said Netanyahu. Abbas said the former leader had campaigned for the “freedom” of the Palestinians. Mubarak had acted as a mediator in the Middle East conflict at times during his tenure.
Critics of Mubarak also paid tribute to the former head of state. Activist Wael Ghoneim, who played a central role during the Arab Spring, wrote on Twitter online: “He was loyal and loved Egypt. He assumed a great responsibility towards the Egyptian people. "
The former presidential candidate Aiman Nur, who 2005 competed against Mubarak and was imprisoned after his defeat was also conciliatory. “I promise God that I will personally forgive him.”
Power expanded over the years
Mubarak persistently expanded his power and managed to maintain Egypt’s reputation after the peace treaty, which was heavily criticized in the region to increase again with Israel. In his last years as head of state, however, the Saudi King Abdullah increasingly disputed his influential position in the Arab world. In addition, the economy of Egypt was hit hard by the global economic crisis 2008.
Mubarak attacked Islamist extremists in Egypt with a hard hand. Many alleged radicals were arrested and locked away using authoritarian methods, especially in the lower classes. The Islamist organization of the Muslim Brotherhood continued to gain influence.
Resignation after 18 Days of protest
The authoritarian rule and lack of a say, but also rampant corruption, the starving economy and sluggish reforms aroused resentment among the population. Especially young people increasingly turned against Mubarak during the Arab uprisings 2011. After turbulent 18 days in which the world was against the youth of Egypt and the mass protests at Tahrir Square looked, he had to resign.
Since then, the country has only partially come to rest. The 2012 elected Islamist and Muslim brother Mohammed Mursi was killed after mass protests 2013 overthrown by the military. Since 2014 the authoritarian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ruled the country, which is in a severe economic crisis. Repressions against opposition figures and the media are perceived as tougher than under Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood are banned and persecuted as terrorists.