The head of Egypt's ruling military council, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, is legally obliged to testify during the trial of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, a military judiciary source told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
On Wednesday, the Judge Ahmed Refaat ordered that Tantawi be summoned to give his account in the case.
Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib Al-Adly, and six former security officials face charges of murdering pro-democracy protesters during the January uprising, which forced Mubarak to step down in February.
The court also summoned Army Chief of Staff Sami Anan, former Vice President Omar Suleiman, former Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy, and current Minister of Interior Mansour al-Essawy.
The court will hear their testimonies in closed sessions from Sunday to Thursday, with Tantawi testifying first. A media blackout has been ordered for these sessions, with the court banning the publication of any information regarding the testimonies of these key witnesses.
The military judiciary source said Tantawi and his deputy, Sami Anan, are obligated to appear in court unless the criminal court permits them to testify by other means.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
