Former Egyptian dictator Mubarak freed

Ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, 88, was released from custody today after an appeals court earlier this month acquitted him of charges in the deaths of hundreds of protesters during the uprising that led to his ousting. His release comes after six years of legal proceedings and marks a defeat for activists who hoped the toppled dictator would face justice. Egyptians revolted against Mubarak in 2011, demanding an end to his 30-year rule marked by corruption, economic deterioration, and a much-feared security apparatus. Human rights campaigners said the acquittal and release confirmed suspicions that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a general-turned-politician, was reversing their “revolution” and restoring the country to its authoritarian status quo. Recent rulings have also acquitted about two dozen Mubarak-era cabinet members, law enforcement officers, and aides charged in connection to the 2011 killing of some 900 protesters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.