The public has been watching the appearance of the former minister of interior in the dock with fascination and is now eagerly awaiting the trial of Mubarak, writes Jailan Halawi "Swift revenge for the blood of the martyrs is the only means of calming the fury of the protesters. The point is not in seeing the symbols of the corruption of the ousted regime behind bars or facing trial: it is about feeling that the innocent people who lost their lives so that the rest of the nation could hold their heads up and live with dignity and freedom did not sacrifice themselves for nothing," medical doctor Gihan Hassan told Al-Ahram Weekly, referring to the trial of former interior minister Habib . "A revolution means a change in everything about the system, not only its symbols. The judiciary should be capable of handing down sentences on those accused of killing protesters during the 25 January Revolution. Slow justice is another form of injustice," Hassan said. Hassan's comments came in response to the news that a Cairo Court had ordered the trials of former interior minister and ousted former president Hosni Mubarak to begin next week. Both men are charged with ordering the killing of protesters during the 25 January Revolution, a charge that carries the death penalty should they be found guilty. Amid tight security measures, , along with six of his former aides facing the same charges, were remanded for trial at the court in Al-Tagammu Al-Khamis on the outskirts of Cairo on 25 July. It was the first time that a hearing of this sort had been broadcast on state television, and the move came amid increasing tensions between protesters and Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and calls from the public to televise the trials, perhaps as proof that they were truly to take place. Legal experts have described the move to try both men at once as being unexceptional, since both face the same charges. However, the families of those killed or injured in the revolution have already criticised the latest postponement, fearing that there may still be no trial of the two men. The chaotic scenes outside and inside the courthouse on Monday were also disturbing, indicating that many people have not been satisfied by the legal moves made against the two men thus far. While there was speculation that seeing and his subordinates in the dock, all of whom inspired fear during Mubarak's rule, would calm the public's thirst for revenge gave way to fears that the death penalty may be all some members of the public will accept. In this atmosphere, human rights activists and the lawyers of the accused have said that there is little hope that Mubarak and will have a fair trial. All accused persons have the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty, but this right does not seem to apply in these two men's case, one of the lawyers said. has already been sentenced to one 12- year prison term and a further five-year term following his conviction on corruption and money laundering charges. With conflicting reports emerging about the state of the former president's health, there have been concerns about whether or not a trial will in fact take place, and, if it does, whether it can be concluded. It is not clear where the trials of Mubarak and , now set for 3 August, will take place and whether they will be in Cairo or in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the ousted former president is currently being treated for health problems. In advance of the trials, the government has ordered enhanced security measures to be put in place both in Cairo and in Sharm El-Sheikh. Security sources said that plans had been made to hold the trial in either location and arrangements made to transfer individuals to and from Sharm El-Sheikh. If the trials are held in Sharm El-Sheikh, then the army is expected to play a major role in transferring the accused individuals from Tora prison to Sharm El-Sheikh using military airports and aircraft, since it may not be possible to ensure the necessary security by road transport.
