Prosecutors in the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday demanded the death penalty for the ex-head of state and five others for allegedly shooting protesters during the February uprising in 2011. The call for the ultimate penalty came after just three days of argument, but as CNN reported, the trial will continue on Monday with civil rights lawyers presenting their own case against the defendants. "Khaled Abu Bakr, a civil rights lawyer representing the families of victims at the trial, told CNN that prosecutors requested death by hanging for Mubarak, former Egyptian Interior Minister Habib El Adly and four of his six aides," CNN reported. The lead prosecutor, Mustafa Suleiman, said Mubarak was ultimately responsible for the government's actions against the protesters, and dismissed Mubarak's argument that he didn't realize the extent of the situation. "The president of the republic is responsible for protecting the people, and the question is not simply one of whether he ordered the killing of protesters, but to know why he did not intervene to stop the violence," he said, according to the Telegraph.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at amartin at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Adam Martin