30 Years of Iron-Fist Dictatorship Mubarak Dies Beside Family Instead of Prison

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Hosni Mubarak, the modern-day 'Pharaoh' who ruled Egypt for 30 years, passed away on the 25th (local time).

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Egyptian media reported that former President Mubarak died at a hospital in Cairo on the same day. The Egyptian media did not disclose detailed information, only stating that Mubarak underwent surgery and was receiving treatment at the hospital.

A former Egyptian Air Force pilot, Mubarak led a surprise attack against Israel as the Air Force Chief of Staff during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Unlike previous defeats suffered by the Egyptian military, he inflicted significant damage on Israeli forces early in the war, earning considerable fame. Due to his achievements, he was appointed Vice President under Anwar Sadat's administration. After President Sadat was assassinated, Mubarak ascended to the presidency and ruled Egypt for 30 years.

While he made significant contributions to economic development under a pro-Western policy, he also faced public dissatisfaction due to long-term rule, corruption, wealth disparity, and attempts at power succession.

During the Arab Spring in 2011, he was forced to step down amid protests by millions demanding his resignation. During the process, 800 citizens lost their lives, and due to corruption charges, the Egyptian court sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, in a retrial in 2017, the court convicted him only of relatively minor offenses and released him.

After Mubarak's fall, Egypt experienced continuous turmoil. Mohamed Morsi, from the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected as the first civilian president in 2012, but just one year later, in 2013, a coup led by current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi returned the country to military dictatorship.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Egyptian government declared a three-day national mourning period in relation to Mubarak's death. President el-Sisi expressed "deep sorrow" over Mubarak's passing, praising him as a "war hero who upheld Arab pride."

Foreign media such as The New York Times (NYT) reported that Mubarak's death reflects the state of Egypt since the collapse following the Arab Spring. Inside Egypt, some expressed anger that Mubarak, who ruled with an iron fist, died not in prison but under the care of his family.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.