A court in Egypt has dropped charges against former President Hosni Mubarak over the killing of 239 protesters during the 2011 uprising against him.

The Cairo courtroom erupted in cheers when the judge concluded Mubarak's retrial by dismissing the case.

Charges against seven of Mr Mubarak's senior officials, including his interior minister, were also dropped.Mubarak, 86, is serving a separate three-year sentence for embezzlement of public funds.

Mubarak, his former Interior Minister, Habib al-Adly, and six others had been convicted of conspiracy to kill and were sentenced to life in prison in June 2012, but a retrial was ordered last year on a technicality.

In all, some 800 people are thought to have been killed as security forces battled protesters in the weeks before Mubarak resigned on 11 February 2011.



An anti-Mubarak arak

Mubarak supporters celebrate after the verdict outside the Cairo military hospital where he is being held, 29 November

Cheering supporters brandished old portraits of Mubarak outside the Cairo military hospital where he is being held

Mubarak supporters celebrate after the verdict.

However, the court documents at the trial related to the deaths of 239 people and injuries sustained by 1,588, across 11 of the country's regions.

Mubarak was wheeled into court on a hospital trolley, wearing sun glasses and looking grim.

As well as the murder charge, Mubarak was also cleared of a corruption charge involving gas exports to Israel.

His sons Gamal and Alaa were also cleared of separate corruption charges by the same court on Saturday.

As supporters cheered the verdict, his sons and co-defendants stooped down to kiss his forehead.

Mubarak's lawyer, Farid al-Deeb, told AFP news agency the verdict was a "good ruling that proved the integrity of Mubarak's era".

Outside the police academy that used to bear his name, supporters and opponents of the former president gathered to hear the verdict - separated by police and a few layers of barricades. Hawkers stood on the sidelines offering Mubarak memorabilia.NWESNOWNG.COM

Source: BBC NEWS