Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – Egyptian Public Prosecutor Abdul-Meguid Mahmoud has issued a decision renewing the detention of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak for another 15 days pending investigation into the killing of protestors and charges of “[making] illicit gains and corruption”.
An Egyptian medical source at the Sharm el-Sheikh hospital has told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hosni Mubarak’s mental state and health had deteriorated following his interrogation yesterday. The medical source described the former president’s state of health as being “unstable” confirming that the medical staff had decided not to allow him to receive visitors in light of this deterioration. The source also revealed that the medical team treating the former president was conducting numerous tests to try to find the reason behind the recent deterioration in his health.
The medical source also confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that former president Mubarak remains within Suite 309 of the Sharm El Sheikh International hospital, and that he is accompanied by his wife, Suzanne Mubarak. The source also clarified that the decision to restrict the former president’s visitors was made on Friday, and that prior to this he was visited daily by the wives of his two sons Alaa and Jamal Mubarak, who are both imprisoned in Cairo’s Tora prison pending investigation.
The medical source also told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Mubarak’s state [of health] worsened after the Public Prosecutor issued his decision renewing his detention for another 15 days, with 6 days remaining until the end of his first detention, and after the investigation team concluded its questioning of him.” The source also revealed that the former president’s medical team had ruled out the possibility of Mubarak being transferred from the Sharm El Sheikh International hospital to the Tora Prison hospital.
The Sharm El Sheikh International hospital medical source also speculated that the medical team put together by Public Prosecutor Abdul-Meguid Mahmoud agrees with the decision made by Hosni Mubarak’s medical team, namely that it would be impossible to transfer him to the Tora Prison hospital. The source said that the Public Prosecutor’s medical team – who visited the former president at Sharm El Sheikh International hospital – had issued a report confirming that Mubarak was “suffering from health conditions that require he remain in hospital under medical care whilst being questioned” adding that “this is why the Egyptian Public Prosecutor had decided that he [Mubarak] should be questioned whilst in Sharm El Sheikh International hospital.”
Former president Mubarak is reportedly being questioned over a number of issues, including a gas deal with Israel that may have “hurt the country’s interests” according to a spokesman for the Egyptian public prosecutor.