Photo Gallery Mubarak Under Arrest
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has been detained for 15 days of questioning in connection with accusations of corruption and abuse of power. He was taken to a hospital in Sharm el Sheik (pictured) on Wednesday after he complained of chest pains.
Mubarak has reportedly denied that he ordered violence against demonstrators who eventually toppled his regime on Feb. 11. He claims that he had decided to step down on the fourth day of demonstrations, but changed his mind when advisors told him that such a move would plunge the country into chaos.
The arrest of Mubarak has been one of the central demands of pro-democracy demonstrations in Egypt. On Wednesday, several protesters assembled in front of the hospital in Sharm el Sheik where he is currently being held.
Egyptians celebrated the move to detain Mubarak, along with his two sons Gamal and Alaa. The move has been widely interpreted as a response to growing protests against the interim military leadership in Egypt.
A group of Egyptian protesters outside of the hospital where Hosni Mubarak is being held. According to an Egyptian daily, he told investigators that "I am going through a difficult time, which no one would be able to handle."
Egypt's military regime has pledged to pave the way for democratic elections later this year. Some, however, have accused military leaders of being primarily interested in maintaining their hold on the Egyptian economy.
The arrest of Hosni Mubarak could pave the way for a trial. His sons are being held in a prison on the outskirts of Cairo.
