Hosni Mubarak May Soon Be Out of Prison

An Egyptian court has ruled that former president Hosni Mubarak can be released from prison, despite still facing charges that was responsible for deaths of demonstrators.

An Egyptian court has ruled that former president Hosni Mubarak can be released from prison, despite still facing charges that was responsible for deaths of demonstrators. Prosecutors have reportedly decided not appeal the decision, meaning that the ex-dictator could be released as early as tomorrow, giving him freedom for the first time since his ouster more than two years ago.

Mubarak was originally convicted for his role in the deaths of Tahrir Square protesters back in 2011 and sentenced to life in prison, but that verdict was thrown out and a retrial ordered. He has already served the maximum allowed time for pre-trial detention.

Egyptians are acutely aware of the irony that the man they worked so hard to overthrow in 2011, could be free to go on with his life, while Mohammed Morsi — that man who was elected by voters to replace him one year later — is currently in jail for essentially the same crimes. Morsi has not been seen in public since he was removed from office on July 3, and is also facing charges of espionage and murder.

On Monday, a similar ruling was reached by a court in regards to Mubarak's corruption trial, granting him conditional release until his cases are decided.  Meanwhile, two other allies of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood party were arrested on Wednesday, adding the crackdown the nation's islamist leaders.

UPDATE: Various news outlets are now reporting that Mubarak will be released, but will then immediately be placed under house arrest by the military.