Hosni Mubarak tried again by Egyptian courts Saturday

The second trial of former rais, aged 84, will be broadcast on national television and it should once again illustrate how the path taken by Egypt to win democracy remains crooked.

The Egyptian Court of Cassation ruled admissible in January an appeal by the former president and his interior minister Habib al Adli, both sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2012 for their involvement in the suppression of the revolution Nile.

At the first trial, Hosni Mubarak, Habib al Adli and four of his deputies were convicted of complicity in the death of more than 800 protesters during the 18 days of the uprising.

The conviction had symbolic value: the former president was the first leader swept by the Arab Spring to be present at his trial and end up behind bars.

Judicial proceedings, however, had shown how to administer justice remained difficult in a country where the judiciary and members of the security forces appointed under the reign of one who occupied the dock were still in place - which is still valid today.

Six officials of the Department of the Interior - two appearing for less serious crimes - were acquitted. The prosecution had complained about the lack of cooperation of the Ministry which had been reluctant to provide evidence to the prosecution.

The court ruled that Mubarak and Habib al Adli had failed to prevent the killings during the uprising, but the judge did not dare to take the plunge and punish the two leaders for ordering violence.

During the second trial, the prosecution will rely on evidence gathered by a commission of inquiry set up last year by President Mohamed Morsi.

The new strong man of Egypt has been criticized after his refusal to publish the report of the Committee established in December.

INVESTIGATION REPORT UNDERGROUND

According to British newspaper The Guardian, January Morsi buried the report of the committee which recommended the opening of judicial proceedings against the military personnel responsible for torture, killings and enforced disappearances during the uprising.

Tagab for Ahmed, a lawyer and member of the board of inquiry, the non-publication of the report is a failure because it delays the recognition by the government of crimes committed by the security forces against the Egyptians.

According to him, Morsi keep the report under his elbow because the security forces, which have generally not changed since Mubarak today commit the same crimes.

The announcement by Morsi the establishment of a commission of inquiry had raised hopes that the light is finally shed on certain practices of law enforcement.

In the end, the feeling is that very little has been done towards the transition to a more independent judiciary.

Initially held at Tora prison on the outskirts of Cairo, Mubarak was transferred to a military hospital. He attended his first trial on a moving bed with his two sons.

They had been released of violent offenses but they remain in custody under investigation for corruption.

At the second trial, Mubarak will also faces charges of illegally facilitating an agreement to sell natural gas prices sold off to Israel.

If the changes are shy, they are not totally absent: the Attorney General office at the first trial had been appointed under the Mubarak era. He was replaced in November.

Similarly, the second trial could be, according to Ahmed Ragad a good opportunity to open more fully and completely the records of the old regime.