News / World

Former Egyptian President Mubarak Rumored to be Dead

By: Lauren Saccone

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been reported legally dead. State news agencies in Egypt are reporting that Mubarak, 84, went into cardiac arrest and suffered a stroke. He is now supposedly in a coma, and his condition is unquestionably dire.

Shortly after those reports, Mubarak’s lawyers countered the statement. They admitted that Mubarak was in critical condition, but stated that he was still alive and breathing on his own. They characterized his condition as "nearly stable."

Mubarak was in prison, serving out his life term when he went into cardiac arrest. He was immediately transferred to a military hospital, where reports on his status continue to be contradictory. In the wake of the controversy over the first Egyptian presidential election, this news has added to the tension surrounding the political situation in Egypt.

The Egyptian military, which has refused to hand over power to the new government and is working on undermining the new president’s political power, has refused to comment on Mubarak’s health or plans to deal with the ailing former president.

There have been rumors that depending on his condition, Mubarak may be moved from the military hospital to a private institution. Mubarak’s lawyer has stated to reporters that they hesitated in moving Mubarak from the prison to the military hospital, while the former president was suffering a series of strokes. Mubarak’s family blames this hesitation for his current condition. 

Mubarak was the ruler of Egypt for over 30 years. His reign finally ended last year amid violent protests and international support. It took 6 months for Mubarak to stand before a court and answer for his crimes. He was ultimately convicted for failing to prevent the deaths of protestors in June of 2011.

Since his incarceration, his already failing condition has declined steadily. There is still no official statement on Mubarak’s health, or whether reports of his death are true.

[Pic via Flickr - World Economic Forum]