CAIRO - The Egyptian revolution has turned over a new chapter in the 83-year history of Torah Prison, a notorious detention complex on the outskirts of Cairo. The heavily-guarded penitentiary, which has long been the last port of call for hardened criminals and notorious swindlers, is now welcoming 'special' inmates, who, until three months ago, were giving the orders. The newcomers include the ex-Prime Minister, his deputies, his ministers, wealthy businesspeople, the Speaker of the dissolved People's Assembly, members of the disgraced ex-President's powerful entourage, the ex-Minister of Interior, and incredibly wealthy and conceited officials from the disbanded National Democratic Party. Nonetheless, the two most notorious new inmates in Torah Prison are the ex-President's sons, Alaa and Gamal. Reports that Mubarak would be moved from a hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh to Torah Prison's medical centre were discounted last week by the Minister of Interior General Mansour el-Eissawi. The Minister said that the hospital annexed to the prison was not equipped to treat geriatrics like the disgraced former President, who was admitted to ICU in Sharm, because it's thought that his health isn't up to his being investigated in Cairo. Mubarak is charged with ordering the use of live ammunition on demonstrators in Al Tahrir Square. About 850 people were gunned down when police commandos opened fire on them in the square. He is also facing charges of abuse of power and systematic corruption on an enormous scale. Torah Prison was built in 1928, on orders from then Minister of Interior Moustafa Pasha el-Nahas, who later became Prime Minister. (Ironically, perhaps, Hosni Mubarak was born in the same year). El-Nahas decided to build a big prison, as the police cells were bursting at the seams with drug dealers, thugs, pimps and prostitutes. He agreed when architects suggested dividing the new penitentiary into seven large, separate sections. They included a VIP section for convicted celebrities and senior officials. Unlike the other sections, the VIP section contains comfortable beds and each inmate is allowed to bring a TV and fridge with him. Their families can bring them food and they can even order something to eat from restaurants and takeaways outside the prison, which also has a hospital, as mentioned above. The walls of the new prison were 2.5m high, but their height was increased to 7m in the 1980s, after several hardened criminals managed to scramble over the top and disappear into the busy streets of the burgeoning capital. Other big shots who've spent time in Torah Prison include late journalist Moustafa Amin, who was accused of espionage by late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, but was released by his successor, Anwar Sadat, in 1974. There was also Aboud el-Zomor and his cousin Tareq, found guilty of assassinating Sadat. They were set free only a few weeks ago, in the wake of the revolution, having served 30 years behind its bars. Other former inmates included late Governor of Giza Maher el-Gendi, found guilty of accepting bribes and abuse of power, and fundamentalist businessman Ahmed el-Rayan, who spent 22 years there. Many journalists and writers have also received hospitality there, including Moustafa Bakri, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Osbou independent newspaper; Gamal Fahmi, Managing Editor of Al-Arabi opposition newspaper; and Salah Bedawi, a journalist in Al-Shaab opposition newspaper. Torah Prison is also the home of wealthy businessman Hisham Talaat Mostafa, who received 15 years with hard labour for his role in the slaying of Lebanese pop singer Suzan Tamim in Dubai in summer 2008. Politicians who have graced the notorious prison with their presence include Ayman Nour, the former Chairman of Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) opposition party, who turned up there hours after competing against Mubarak in the presidential elections in 2005. Nour, who was sent down for five years for counterfeiting documents for his party, has successfully appealed to the Public Prosecutor to have his case reinvestigated.
