Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s former ruler who was forced from power by pro-democracy protesters, is in a military hospital after being released from prison today.
Mubarak’s ouster paved the way for the first-ever free elections in Egyptian history. His release adds to the volatility in the country.
More than 1,000 people have died in violence since last Wednesday, when government security forces violently cleared two encampments where supporters of another ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, had been holding mostly peaceful sit-ins.
Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, was ousted from power by the military.
The military government’s raid on Morsi’s supporters caused the highest number of fatalities in a single day in modern Egyptian history.
Now with the release of the man Morsi replaced, and with members of the military appointed to head the country’s provinces, many Egyptians are asking what the future is for democracy in the country.
Guest
- David Kirkpatrick, Cairo bureau chief for The New York Times. He tweets @ddknyt.
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