Egypt orders Mubarak’s sons released in graft case

An Egyptian court ordered the release of the sons of deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak on Monday, taking into account time already served on a corruption conviction.

The rise of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who has vowed stability after four years of unrest and taken a tough line against dissent, has encouraged Mubarak supporters and upended the public perception and media depiction of the 2011 uprising.

Gamal and Alaa were released in January after their convictions in the presidential palaces theft case were temporarily overturned.

An Egyptian court on Monday ruled that former president Hosni Mubarak’s two sons could be released from prison while awaiting an appeal for a case involving the theft of state funds, judicial sources said.

The brothers are expected to walk free later today or tomorrow after the Cairo Criminal Court announced its verdict in the multi-million dollar embezzlement case on Monday.

Alaa and Gamal Mubarak were convicted of embezzling state funds allocated for the renovation of Egypt’s presidential palaces.

They are appealing, but also face trial on the charge of insider trading.

Hosny Mubarak was ousted from power in February 2011 after 18 days of nationwide protests demanding his removal- two months later, his sons were detained.

Gamal, 51, was a leading member of the former ruling National Democratic Party and was widely seen as his father’s heir apparent.

However, Mubarak and his sons are still facing a retrial on corruption charges.

Gamal represented a “new guard” for the bosses of the regime and was considered Mubarak’s likely successor.

Last summer’s sentencing included a $16.3 million fine to be paid by the three men, and required the return of $2.7 million they embezzled.