By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt–From behind the bars of a holding cell, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak remained defiant. The 83-year-old man listened to the charges of corruption and complicity in the unlawful killing of protesters against him and gave a simple, yet potent answer.

“I have not committed any such crimes.”

Premeditated murder, the killing of protesters, the failure to use his power and resources to stop the mistreatment of civilians, and collusion with other government officials in the misuse of state funds all included the charges against Mubarak.

The proceedings took place in a temporary court at the Police Academy of Cairo and were shown on live television. A trial for the former Egyptian leader has been one of the crucial demands and desires that united protesters since 11 February, the day that Mubarak’s regime collapsed. Some 3,000 soldiers and police officers were drafted with the sole purpose of maintaining order at the police academy for the first day of the trial.

Mubarak was flown to Cairo from Sharm el-Sheikh, the Red Sea resort where he has resided since being removed from power. Due to recent health complications, including treatment since April for a heart condition, there was speculation that Mubarak would not actually appear in court. But he did appear and was wheeled into the cage from where he observed the proceedings. Mubarak’s two sons, Gamal and Alaa, accompanied their father inside the defendants’ cage, both donning white prison robes.

When the presiding judge, Ahmed Refaat, requested that Mubarak identify himself, the former leader responded and slightly raised his hand from the horizontal position that he was situated on the bed of the cell.

“Yes, I am here.”

Mubarak’s lawyer, Farid el-Deeb, made numerous requests to the court on behalf of Mubarak. Arguably, the most noteworthy request was to summon some 1,600 witnesses to testify, including Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak’s longtime defense minister.

Sherine Tadros, an Al-Jazeera correspondent, shared these sentiments about this request from el-Deeb.

“El-Deeb asked for Tantawi-who is also the defense minister and effectively the person running this country right now-to become a witness within this trial. He said it was Field Marshal Tantawi who has been in control of this country since 28 January 2011. I think it raises a lot of questions about the proceedings of this trial, how many others serving still-within the government, within the authority, within that structure-are going to be implicated in what is going on.”

Some 800 people were killed and approximately another 6,000 wounded in the 18 total days of protests that overthrew Mubarak’s seemingly everlasting regime. His trial represents a very tangible victory of sorts for all of those involved in the region-wide uprisings that have been dubbed the Arab Spring.

The image of Mubarak sitting behind bars and listening to the charges is certainly a surreal feeling for many Egyptians as well as those in other Middle Eastern countries. One of the protest leaders, film-maker Ahmed Rasheed, told BBC correspondents that people across Cairo had cluttered around televisions in shops and cafes, watching and debating as the trial was broadcast.

“I was quite overwhelmed to see the scene taking place. I was very pessimistic about this. I didn’t believe he was going to show up in court.”

The trial will resume on 15 August 2011.

Public demonstrations and riots continue to occur in Egypt. Before the trial began, scuffles broke out between hundreds of supporters and opponents of Mubarak. Hundreds of white-clad police and riot police armed with shields and helmets intervened to stop the demonstrators from throwing stones and bottles at one another.

It is evident that the Arab Spring has a long way to go in order to be viewed as a holistic success. But perhaps the beginning of Mubarak’s trial is just the kinetic energy that it needed to secure healthy change throughout the region.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera-Mubarak pleads ‘not guilty’ at Cairo trial-03 August 2011

BBC-Mubarak trial: Egypt’s ex-president denies all charges-03 August 2011

CNN-Ailing Mubarak wheeled into courtroom cage for trial-03 August 2011

NYT-Mubarak on Trial, in Stark Image of Arab Upheaval-03 August 2011