SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Mubarak 'under house arrest'

The former Egyptian president has been placed under house arrest in Sharm El Sheikh, according to a statement by Egypt's ruling generals.

mubarak_b_110202_egyptianstatetv_842305737

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian president, has been placed under house arrest in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, according to a statement by Egypt's ruling generals who took power after Mubarak's ouster in February.

The statement posted on the Facebook page of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces countered speculation that Mubarak, 82, had gone to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.

The post read: "Out of the supreme military council's belief in the importance of maintaining communication with the Egyptian people and the youth of the revolution, we stress (that) news of the departure of former president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia is not true, as he is under house arrest along with his family."

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has repeatedly offered Mubarak sanctuary in the kingdom, but for now Mubarak, facing corruption charges, is under a travel ban and asset freeze along with his his family.

The Supreme Council also promised parliamentary elections will be held in September, and that Egypt's emergency laws that were put in place when Mubarak took office in 1981 will be lifted before then, VOA reported.

The generals promised to hand over power to a civilian leadership after an election.

But the armed forces have come under criticism for recent heavy handed actions and for drafting a law banning most strikes and street protests, according to the Guardian.

Soldiers have reportedly been accused of torturing protesters and forcing arrested women to undergo "virginity checks."

And last week, military police stormed a protest by Cairo University students demanding the removal of the dean of mass media, who has close ties to the former ruling National Democratic party.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world