Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak is free: A criminal court has ordered to release him from custody. According to his lawyer, the 85-year-old could leave the prison already in the coming hours.

An Egyptian criminal court has ruled that former President Hosni Mubarak must leave the prison. A judicial official said on Wednesday in Cairo, Mubarak should stay for the further duration of the trials against him at home. In Tora prison outside Cairo, the discharge papers are currently being prepared.

His lawyer Farid al-Dib said he expects that the 85-year-old would be released no later than Thursday “. Mubarak comes today or tomorrow free”
The prosecutor may, however, object to the bail. Then Mubarak might have to go back to jail.

Before the heavily fortified prison, soldiers prepared in the minutes after the decision to appear before any protests. Several armored vehicles drove on, the guards drew their bulletproof vests on.

Mubarak was overthrown in 2011. For the killing of protesters during the uprising although he was already sentenced to life imprisonment. However, in January an appeals court ordered a second method. Meanwhile, the maximum detention expired in this process.

At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood in the past week, making it Egypt’s bloodiest civil episode in decades.

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