Around 200 supporters of Hosni Mubarak began a protest on Saturday that they said would continue until the deposed president is transferred from prison to hospital.
Security officials reported a severe deterioration in the 84-year-old's health since he was sentenced to 25 years in prison last week for failing to stop the killing of hundreds of protesters during the popular uprising that toppled him last year.
"There are around 200 Mubarak supporters and lawyers in front of the Prisons Authority and we will not leave until Mubarak is transferred to either a military or private hospital," said Mohamed Abdel Razek, one of Mubarak's lawyers.
Abdel Razek said the general prosecutor had told him there was "no barrier" to his request to move Mubarak from the hospital wing of Cairo's Tora prison, but that the decision had to be taken by the Prisons Authority.
Last week security sources said Mubarak was given artificial respiration five times in one day and doctors recommended he be moved to a military hospital or back to the medical facility he was in prior to his conviction.
State news agency MENA said on Saturday that Mubarak — who was wheeled into court to attend his trial on a hospital bed — was at risk of a stroke.
The acquittal of six of Mubarak's top security officials angered those who say his old guard is still ruling from behind the scenes. Mubarak, his two sons and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly were also acquitted of corruption charges.
Many Egyptians were furious at the acquittals and some wanted Mubarak executed. The sentencing triggered days of nationwide protests demanding both a retrial and the enforcement of a law, passed by Parliament but not implemented, banning Mubarak-era officials from holding high office. The constitutional court will rule on the law's validity on June 14.
A June 16-17 presidential runoff election will pit Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, against Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy, the final step before the armed forces, which took charge when Mubarak was toppled, formally hands over power by 1 July.
