Minister of Justice Mohamed al-Guindi denied accusations that authorities are stalling the trials of the ousted president Hosni Mubarak and former officials charged with corruption. He said speedy trials could lead to miscarriages of justice in the defendants' favor.
In a speech following a ceremony held in his honor on Saturday, Guindi said that before the revolution, no one dared to demand the personal financial statements of any official, so when investigations began, many unexpected details emerged.
He said Mubarak is an Egyptian citizen being tried in accordance with the law, and as such, he has the same rights and duties as ordinary citizens. He stressed that former officials are being questioned fairly, and Mubarak has full health care, as is any Egyptian citizen’s right under the Constitution.
Guindi said several groups have attempted to thwart the revolution and overthrow the new system that protects citizens' freedom and dignity.
As to postponing some verdicts until August, he attributed the decision to the fact that the Illicit Gains Authority is following legal procedures to guarantee successful, fair trials.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
