Egypt court bans Mubarak-era leaders from running in elections

CAIRO - Reuters

A supporter of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, holds flowers and his pictures in front of the Maadi Military Hospital, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, May 4, 2014.

An Egyptian court on Tuesday banned the leaders of former president Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party from running in any coming elections, the court judge said.
   
Judge Karim Hazem did not specify the number, names or titles of the politicians who would be prevented from running in coming elections. Mubarak's party was dissolved three years ago following an uprising that ended his rule.
   
The case was brought to court a few months ago by an Egyptian lawyer. Judicial sources said the judge was unable to name the officials that the ruling would be applied to and left that to the elections committee to do that.
   
Egypt is due to hold a presidential vote this month that army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is widely expected to win.
   
That is expected to be followed by a parliamentary vote in which liberal politicians fear many Mubarak-era politicians could return due to the weakness of the current political parties, most of which were formed in the three years since Mubarak was ejected from office.
  
The state's most active political group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which has won all five elections held since Mubarak's ouster, was banned by a court order last year after the army toppled president Mohamed Mursi, one of the Brotherhood's leaders.
   
The army-backed government led a fierce crackdown on the Islamist movement, Egypt's oldest and most organised group, in which hundreds were killed and thousands were jailed. The army ousted Morsi following protests against him.
   
Top Brotherhood figure Mohamed Badie and 682 Brotherhood members and supporters were sentenced to death last month over the violence that erupted following Morsi being deposed.
   
Sisi said in his first televised interview on Monday that there would be no reconciliation with the Brotherhood under his rule. He said the group was "finished" and would cease to exist if he becomes president.