World Bulletin/News Desk

Islamic thinker Tareq al-Beshri said Saturday that many Egyptians will not comprehend the acquittal of ex-president Hosni Mubarak, his two sons and former top security officials, saying that the former president should have been tried for his "political crimes".

"Mubarak, his two sons and his top aides have committed enough political crimes that eclipse their criminal ones," al-Beshri told The Anadolu Agency.

"Many Egyptians will have a hard time comprehending the acquittal verdicts. The error is with the policies that led to their trial by a criminal court, not a special tribunal," he said.

Al-Beshri said that special courts should have been formed to try Mubarak and his officials.

"Political crimes should not be tried before criminal courts, but before special courts that aren’t available in Egypt," he added.

On Saturday, a Cairo court dropped the case against Mubarak on charges of conspiring in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising.

The court also cleared ex-interior minister Habib al-Adly and six former top security officials of charges of ordering the murder of the anti-regime protesters during the 18-day uprising that ended Mubarak's 30-year rule.

The judge also cleared Mubarak of corruption charges related to gas exports to Israel and dropped another corruption charge against the former president, his two sons Alaa and Gamal and business tycoon Hussein Salem, saying that too much time had elapsed since the alleged crime took place for the court to rule in the case.

Many Egyptians who lived through Mubarak's rule view it as a period of autocracy and crony capitalism and considered it a victory to see him behind bars.

His overthrow led to Egypt's first free election but the winner, Mohamed Mursi, was ousted last year by then-army chief Abdelfattah al-Sisi, following protests against his rule.

Sisi, who went on to win a presidential election in May, launched a crackdown on Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood. Authorities have jailed thousands of Brotherhood supporters and sentenced hundreds to death in mass trials that drew international criticism.

By contrast, Mubarak-era figures are slowly being cleared of charges and a series of laws curtailing political freedoms have raised fears among activists that the old leadership was regaining influence. Saturday's verdict was seen as the latest sign by activists the rights won in 2011 were being eroded.

A few dozen young people gathered to protest the verdict in the city of Suez, site of the first death of the uprising, but they were quickly dispersed by police, security sources said.