Mubarak to be allowed to retain presidential 'privileges' after court ruling

An Egyptian legal authority on Monday ruled in favour of former president Hosni Mubarak by allowing him to retain his "privileges" as former president, a judicial source has said.

The state-run General Assembly of Fatwas and Legislation ruled that Mubarak and his family could keep their privileges as first family, the source told the Anadolu Agency.

The assembly also said that Mubarak could keep his medals of honour and presidential pension.

The assembly argued that there was no court verdict preventing the former president and his family from retaining their privileges.

On Monday, supporters of Mubarak celebrated the aging former leader's 87th birthday.

Mubarak ruled Egypt for three decades from 1981 before being toppled by anti-government protests in 2011.

Though arrested and put on trial for charges of conspiracy to kill protesters, these charges were dropped in November 2014.

After time served on embezzlement charges, he is thought likely to be released in the near future.

Mubarak has expressed his support for current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi who overthrew the government of Mubarak's democratically-elected successor Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

“The sons of the armed forces, with President al-Sisi at the forefront today, know exactly the meaning of national sovereignty and the sacredness of national territory,” Mubarak said, during a phone interview on private television channel Sada El-Balad.

“We [Egyptians] should trust our army’s capabilities and stand behind it,” especially in this “difficult, complex stage,” he said.