Mubarak and His Two Sons Detained for 15 Days

Egypt’s ex-president Hosni Mubarak has been placed in detention for 15 days, prosecutors said Wednesday shortly after state media reported his two sons had also been detained.

In a statement on the public prosecutor’s Facebook page, a spokesperson said the prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud authorized the detentions “as part of an inquiry into the use of force against protesters during the unrest in January and February,” AFP reports.

Mubarak was admitted to hospital on Tuesday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh shortly after suffering a heart attack during questioning by prosecutors, state media said.

It was not immediately clear where his 15-day detention would take place.

Earlier, state television said Mubarak’s two sons had also been detained.

“It has been decided to imprison Gamal and Alaa for 15 days for the needs of the inquiry,” the report said.

They are accused of incitement to fire at demonstrators during a popular uprising that lasted from Jan. 25 till Feb. 11 when Mubarak reluctantly stepped down. Nearly 800 people died during the uprising.

On Sunday, public prosecutor Abdel Magid Mahmud ordered the inquiry, as part of a sweeping probe into corruption and abuse.

State television reported that Mubarak had refused to eat or drink since he received news on Tuesday morning that he was to be questioned.

He was admitted by his bodyguards to the VIP wing of the Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital, the report said, adding that the hospital was not accepting any patients except for emergency cases.

Police cars and ambulances surrounded the hospital, as well as a heavy military police presence, the television said.

The former president was dressed in a black and white track suit, a witness said.

Asked if Mubarak was in good health, hospital director Mohammed Fathallah replied: “Somewhat.”