Three months after Hosni Mubarak's stunning fall from power, many Egyptians want to see him and his family put away for the rest of their lives. Some even want the 83-year-old Mubarak and his son and one-time heir apparent Gamal hanged.
The popular thirst for the Mubaraks to be severely punished for what is perceived to be a long list of crimes over nearly 30 years has grown since he stepped down on February 11. It could well be the result of the continuous leaks to the media about the massive wealth they allegedly amassed through illegitimate means when nearly half of all Egyptians lived on US$2 (Dh7.34) a day.
As things stand now, Mr Mubarak is under arrest at a hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, where he spent much of the past 10 to 15 years of his rule.
On Tuesday, Egypt's attorney general said that Mr Mubarak would face trial on charges related to the the deaths of more than 800 protesters during the uprising. His security boss, former interior minister Habib el Adly, faces the same charges. If the two men are convicted, they could face the death sentence.
Separately, Mr Mubarak, his two sons and a close business associate have been charged with abusing their power to amass wealth. No date has been set for their trial.
Mr Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, who exercised considerable behind-the-scenes influence on how the country was run, is facing corruption allegations, too. She was released from custody last week after she relinquished to the state assets worth 24 million Egyptian pounds (Dh14.8m). She remains under investigation for illegally amassing wealth.
The 70-year-old former first lady is at the same hospital as her husband and reportedly is ill.
The Mubarak brothers are at Torah prison south of Cairo along with about two dozen or more stalwarts of their father's regime, including a former prime minister, the speakers of parliament's two chambers, a close Mubarak aide and several former cabinet ministers and regime-linked politicians and businessmen.
The revolutionary fervour that is still in evidence here, plus the stream of sensational and weakly attributed media reports on the alleged crimes of the Mubaraks, are likely to translate into revolutionary justice for the former leader and his family.
That justice would probably involve proper trials but also verdicts that pander to popular sentiments, including those harboured by many Egyptians who view the Mubarak years as the cause of their poverty and lack of economic opportunity.
It seems unlikely that Egypt will establish a South African-style, truth-and-reconciliation commission to ease the bitterness and thirst for revenge in the country.
The question of justice for Mr Mubarak and his family arose in recent days after media reports raised the possibility that the Mubaraks could be pardoned if they returned the assets they had stolen.
The prospect of a pardon prompted the military to swiftly deny its intention to do so, saying that the generals would not interfere with the judiciary. But the denial did not prevent some youth groups warning of a "second revolution" if the Mubaraks were pardoned.
Opposition to a possible pardon has also been stated by several political parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
The speculation intensified when unconfirmed reports said Mr Mubarak intended to issue an apology to the Egyptian people. But a legal source was quoted by Cairo newspapers as denying Mr Mubarak had any intention of doing so because that would be tantamount to a confession of crimes.
Mr Mubarak's poor health has been cited for his continuous stay in a luxurious wing of the resort hospital rather than a prison hospital in Cairo. There also have been conflicting reports about just how sick he is, with some reports saying he is suffering from depression and a heart condition.
Mr Mubarak underwent surgery in Germany last year to remove a gall bladder and his health has been the subject of intense speculation since.
Suzanne Mubarak's few days in detention were also spent at the Sharm el-Sheikh hospital, with her reported poor health preventing her transfer to the women's hospital at Qanater, north of Cairo.
But the perceived leniency towards Mr Mubarak and his wife may in large part be the result of the military's worry that the pair are so frail they could die if they were treated poorly. However, some fear, the leniency could be subtle recognition that it was Mr Mubarak's patronage that helped today's rulers achieve their career success.
The possibility of the Mubaraks getting off the hook with either an apology or giving up wealth may well be far-fetched in a nation where the street, at least for now, rules supreme. But the young men and women who engineered the fall of a regime thought to be invincible just a few months ago are not about to take any chances.
Last Friday, thousands demonstrated in Cairo and Alexandria to demand that the Mubaraks and others be tried and punished if convicted, even if they return the wealth they are accused to stealing.
foreign.desk.@thenational.ae
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
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Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
