One way or another - Mubarak to end his life behind bars

Egyptian prosecutors want the death penalty for former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak. Prosecutors allege that he is responsible for the killings of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators in the protests that toppled him from power.

CAIRO, EGYPT (Catholic Online) - According to Egyptian law, the death penalty is permitted for cases of deliberate murder. Based on this, prosecutor Mostafa Khater asked the court "so what is the appropriate sentence for the killing of hundreds?"

Prosecutors are calling for Hosni Mubarak to be hanged in the closing arguments of their case.

Mubarak is on trial less than a year after leaving power as he is brought to court on a stretcher because of his allegedly poor health. 

Over the next couple weeks, the defense is expected to plead its case, likely on the grounds that Mubarak did not personally order the direct killing of anyone. The prosecution argues that he is responsible by virtue of his position. 

The prosecution is going back as far as 1997 to make its case. They have pointed out that in 1997, Mubarak angrily sacked his interior minister after he failed to stop terrorists from killing tourists in Luxor. Conversely, they say he showed no such outrage at the killing of Egyptians during the Arab Spring protests, which erupted in January of last year. 

"How could he be enraged for the lives of a number of foreigners but not care or be equally enraged for his people?" the prosecution asked.

The prosecution has also introduced statements from other government officials that reveal government policy forbade the killing of protesters without explicit presidential authorization. 

In his own statement, Mubarak has said that he never gave such an order and that he had no control over the military or police after January 28. He has also said that this lack of control is what prompted him to step down. 

In addition to charges of murder, Mubarak and a number of other government officials, as well as his sons, are charged with corruption. They have also been accused of deliberately interfering with the investigation. 

It seems likely that even if Mubarak escapes the most serious charges, he will face a stiff prison sentence and will end his life behind bars-one way or another.

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