Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was flown from prison to a nearby hospital on Thursday, officials said, after judicial authorities ordered his release from jail
A medical helicopter was seen departing from Tora prison on the southern outskirts of Cairo. It landed minutes later at a military hospital in the nearby suburb of Maadi.
The former president, who had been ousted in a popular revolt in 2011, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including embezzling funds and ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising.
Free bird, at last: Supporters of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak chant slogans and sing his praises outside Tora Prison, hours before he was airlifted to a hospital. Pics/AFP
But with the cases dragging on for years, and a friendly military regime taking over from the Muslim Brotherhood presidency that eventually replaced him, Mubarak's outlook took a sudden turn for the better.
On Tuesday, a Cairo court ordered that he be released from pretrial detention pending the start of a new case against him. The military-backed government announced on Wednesday night that Mubarak would be held under house arrest. He also remains on a no-fly list, and his bank accounts are still frozen.
