Mubarak wants end to voilent protests
2013-03-11 16:23
Cairo - Toppled president Hosni Mubarak, awaiting trial
over his role in the deaths of protesters, believes Egyptians should rally around
his Islamist successor and end violent protests, his lawyer told AFP on Monday.
President Mohammed Morsi, twice jailed by Mubarak before
he himself was overthrown on 11 February 2011, is the "elected president,
people should rally around him," the former strongman told his lawyer
Farid a-Deeb.
"Mubarak is sad and frustrated" by recurring
violent protests around the country targeting the Islamist president, Deeb told
AFP.
The 84-year-old had been sentenced to life in prison for
his role in the deaths of protesters during the 18-day uprising in 2011 that
ended his three decade reign.
But a court overthrew that verdict and ordered a new
trial which is set to start on 13 April.
Mubarak also spoke out against violent protests, although
he believed Egyptians have the right to peaceful demonstrations, Deeb said.
"He still considers those who attacked police
stations in 2011 were thugs and criminals," Deeb added, referring to
protesters who torched police stations across the country during the 2011
revolt.
About 850 people were killed in the uprising.
Mubarak has suffered a number of health scares in prison
that prompted his transfer to a military hospital.
Deeb said his health has "improved”.
Morsi, who won elections last June on the Muslim Brotherhood's
ticket, had pledged new trials for former regime officials including Mubarak
implicated in the protesters' deaths.
Morsi's presidency has been plagued by unrest and deadly
clashes between protesters and police. Port Said, a city on the Suez Canal, has
been in open revolt against the Islamist.
