Mubarak says Egyptians should rally around Mursi

CAIRO: Toppled president Hosni Mubarak, awaiting trial over his role in the deaths of protesters, believes Egyptians should rally around his successor and end violent protests, his lawyer told AFP yesterday.
President Muhammad Mursi, twice jailed by Mubarak before he himself was overthrown on Feb. 11, 2011, is the “elected president, people should rally around him,” the former strongman told his lawyer Farid Deeb.
“Mubarak is sad and frustrated” by recurring violent protests around the country targeting the president, Deeb told AFP.
The 84-year-old had been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the deaths of protesters during the 18-day uprising in 2011 that ended his three decade reign.
But a court overthrew that verdict and ordered a new trial which is set to start on April 13.
Mubarak also spoke out against violent protests, although he believed Egyptians have the right to peaceful demonstrations, Deeb said.
“He still considers those who attacked police stations in 2011 were thugs and criminals,” Deeb added, referring to protesters who torched police stations across the country during the 2011 revolt.
Roughly 850 people were killed in the uprising.
Mubarak has suffered a number of health scares in prison that prompted his transfer to a military hospital. Deeb said his health has “improved.”