CAIRO:-  Egypt’s top court began a retrial Thursday of ex-president Hosni Mubarak over the deaths of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ousted him, but postponed the hearing after a brief session. The Court of Cassation postponed the retrial to January 21. In June 2012 a court had convicted the 87-year-old, who ruled Egypt with an iron fist for three decades, for the deaths of hundreds of protesters and sentenced him to life in prison. But that verdict was appealed and a new trial ordered.–AFP
On November 29 last year, the judge in the case dropped the charges. The prosecution appealed that ruling, and the Court of Cassation overturned it, ordering the retrial that commenced on Thursday. The Court of Cassation itself is conducting the retrial and its ruling will not be subject to appeal.