The prosecution in the case against Hosni Mubarak on Thursday demanded the death sentence for the former Egyptian president and other defendants including his two sons and the former interior minister.
Mubarak is facing charges of ordering the killing of protesters during the demonstrations which swept him from power last February. The judge adjourned the trial until Jan. 9.
"The prosecution demands the maximum penalty against Mubarak and the rest of the accused which is death by hanging," Mustafa Khater, a member of the prosecution team during a court session.
Earlier Thursday, Mustafa Suleiman, the chief prosecutor, said he held the ousted leader "politically and legally" responsible for the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising.
Suleiman also told the court that Mubarak did nothing to stop the killings and that he was aware of them from meetings with aides, regional TV channels and reports by his security agencies.
Live ammunition
He said Mubarak's security chief and co-defendant, Habib el-Adly, authorized the use of live ammunition on orders from Mubarak.
Mubarak, el-Adly, and six police commanders are all accused of complicity in the killing of protesters. Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal, are charged with corruption in the same case.
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Hosni Mubarak on trial
"He (Mubarak) can never, as the top official, claim that he did not know what was going on," Suleiman told the court.
"He is responsible for what happened and must bear the legal and political responsibility for what happened," he added.
Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11 and the military took over from him.
Suleiman said Mubarak told investigators that he decided to step down after the military refused to intervene to help the security services "immediately and urgently" to contain the protests.
Mubarak called out the army on Jan. 28 — three days into the uprising and on the day when security forces disappeared from the streets in circumstances that have yet to be fully explained.
"He (Mubarak) fully knew what was happening but he did nothing," said Suleiman.
