The Misdemeanor Appeals Court on Monday ordered the release of Alaa and Gamal Mubarak pending investigations into charges relating to alleged abuse of presidential power by their father, former President Hosni Mubarak.
The two face charges of amassing wealth incommensurate with their legitimate sources of income.
The Illicit Gains Authority had on Sunday extended Alaa and Gamal’s imprisonment for 15 days pending investigations into the charges.
Financial watchdog authorities had previously pointed to reports suggesting the Mubarak sons had built up family wealth in legally questionable ways.
Farid al-Deeb, the defendants’ lawyer, had requested that Alaa and Gamal be released pending investigations, ongoing since May 2011.
The ex-president’s sons face other charges related to financial corruption in Egypt’s gas deals with Israel, use of public funds to renovate private properties, stock market manipulation and the purchase of land plots owned by junior pilots at extremely low prices.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
