RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
In Egypt, protests continue against the verdicts in the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak and various people in his old regime. Mubarak was handed a life sentence in connection to the deaths of protesters during last year's revolution. But critics say the judge's ruling all but ensured the former president's sentence will be overturned on appeal.
NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson has the story from Cairo.
JUDGE AHMED REFAAT: (Foreign language spoken)
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, BYLINE: Chief Judge Ahmed Refaat said they reviewed over 60,000 pages of documents and hundreds of hours of testimony. His three-judge panel sentenced Mubarak and his from interior minister Habib el-Adly to life in prison for their role in the protesters' deaths. But the panel acquitted six security officials linked to the shootings. That didn't resonate with the Egyptian public.
(SOUNDBITE OF PROTEST)
NELSON: Tens of thousands of people poured into Tahrir Square after the trial. Reem Saad heads the Middle East Studies Center at the American University in Cairo.
REEM SAAD: This could pave the way for repealing the verdict for Mubarak and Adly as well. If the people that are under them did not do anything, then it's a convoluted justification for the responsibility of Adly and Mubarak.
NELSON: The ruling generals announced they would strip Mubarak of his military rank and medals. And Egypt's top prosecutor is said to be appealing the verdicts he considers too weak. But the Islamist-dominated parliament and the Muslim Brotherhood candidate for president continue to rail against the military-led government and judiciary.
His opponent in the presidential run-off, however, accused the Islamists of using the trial for political gain. Soraya Sarhaddi-Nelson, NPR News, Cairo.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MONTAGNE: And you are listening to MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
