The Egyptian Court of Cassation issued a ruling March 2 acquitting ousted President Hosni Mubarak of the killing of protesters during the outbreak of the January 25 Revolution in 2011. On March 13, an Egyptian prosecutor issued a decision to release Mubarak for the first time since his ousting six years ago. This raised speculation about whether Mubarak, 88, intends to return to the political scene and how the regime of current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will deal with him.

Mubarak stepped down six years ago, 11 days after the outbreak of the revolution; he was subsequently brought to trial.” He received a prison sentence of 25 years in June 2012, but his defense team appealed the ruling and ultimately got him acquitted in March.

During those years, Mubarak was tried on power corruption charges, and he received a sentence of 3½ years, which he has completed. Meanwhile, investigations are still underway into his charges over illicit gains.

Mubarak was arrested in April 2011. He was admitted to the Tora Prison Hospital and then moved to the Maadi Military Hospital in southern Cairo due to his deteriorating health at the time. According to Yousri Abdel Razek, a volunteer lawyer with Mubarak’s defense team, he remains at the military hospital.