Mubarak, as in the first hearing, was placed on the stretcher and caged in the dock, alongside his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, with whom he briefly exchanged words. His sons, who themselves face charges of corruption, tried to shield him from the cameras.

The judge ruled that there should be no further TV coverage of the trial until the end of proceedings, a decision which will anger some Egyptians who say that people must be able to see that justice is being done.

On the first day of his trial on 4 August, Mubarak pleaded not guilty to the premeditated murder of protestors who took to the streets to oust his regime in the uprising which erupted in January.

Mubarak's former interior minister Habib al Adly and six former police commanders are also charged with murder, and are being tried by the same judge in separate hearings.

Outside the court there were clashes between opponents and supporters of the decision to put Mubarak on trial.

Source:RFI