Decision to remove Mubarak's name from public buildings overturned

A ruling to remove the name of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak from governmental buildings was overturned by a Cairo appeals court today.

The court that issued the decision in April acted beyond its jurisdiction, said the Cairo Appeals Court for Urgent Matters. The case has been sent to the administrative court.

Supporters and opponents of Mubarak reportedly clashed outside the courthouse after the ruling was announced.

Mubarak’s name, and that of his wife Suzanne, was prominent on public buildings from schools to hospitals during his 30-year term as president of Egypt.

A metro station named for him was quickly renamed to ‘the Martyrs’ in the aftermath of the popular uprising that toppled Mubarak from power in February.

Popular opinion has insisted that Mubarak’s name be removed from everything from the metro stop to neighborhoods. Taxi drivers in a Sharqiya town refused to drive into the ‘Mubarak’ neighborhood earlier this year, demanding the neighborhood be renamed 'Martyrs' first.

Egypt's octogenarian former leader is set to go on trial August 3 for murder of demonstrators and corruption.

This post was originally published at Youm7 English Edition (offline as of Jan. 2011).