EU’s top court annuls asset freeze against Mubarak's family
European Union unable to ascertain sanctions imposed were on solid grounds
Abu Dhabi: The European Union’s highest court, the Court of Justice, has annulled sanctions imposed on the family of late Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, whose funds were frozen in Europe after he was ousted in 2011, local media reported.
European Union member countries imposed the sanctions on Mubarak and his family in March 2011 based on lawsuits filed against them in Egypt for alleged embezzlement of state funds.
The Court of Justice on December 3, held that “the Council of the European Union was unable to ascertain that the sanctions imposed on Mubarak and his family were on a solid grounds,” adding that “it is not satisfied with a signal from the Egyptian authorities before the Union Council verifies that the rights of defense and the right to effective judicial protection are respected.”
The court’s final verdict follows lower court decisions in recent years to dismiss appeals by the family to overturn the asset freeze. The value of the assets has not been made public.
The former president passed away earlier this year at a Cairo hospital after suffering complications from surgery in February.
Massive protest
He was ousted following massive protests that started in January 2011. Mubarak ruled Egypt from 1981 until 11 February 2011.
Mubarak was arrested two months following his overthrow and stood trial in a number of criminal cases on various charges. He was convicted of corruption in 2015, alongside his sons Alaa and Gamal, for using public funds to renovate family properties.
He had already served his sentence in detention while awaiting trial in other cases.
Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to kill protesters during the popular uprising, but walked free in 2017 after being acquitted on appeal.
His two sons were acquitted earlier this year on charges of stock manipulation.