Mubarak Live Blog

The landmark murder and corruption trial of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak entered its final day of hearings on Wednesday, with the judge expected to announce the date of the verdict.

The trial could see the toppled leader, his interior minister Habib al-Adly and six security chiefs sent to the gallows if convicted of complicity in the deaths of peaceful protesters during the uprising that overthrew him a year ago.

At the hearing, prosecutors told Judge Ahmed Refaat that the medical wing of Cairo's Tora prison was ready to receive Mubarak, state television reported, after mounting calls to move him from hospital to prison.

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered for marches across the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to mark the first anniversary of the "Friday of Rage".

Demonstrators began to converge in the capital's Tahrir Square - the focal point of protests - after Muslim noon prayers, on a day dubbed "the Friday of Pride and Dignity" by the dozens of pro-democracy groups organising the rallies.

In Tahrir, Sheikh Mazhar Shahin, the imam of the Omar Makram mosque located within the square, called for faster retribution for the deaths of protesters last year.

People came out on January 25, 2011 to call for freedom, justice, dignity and the end of a regime that spread all forms of corruption," Shahin told the crowd, referencing the date of the start of the uprising.

"We demanded the resignation of the regime, but after a year passed on the revolution, I'm asking; did the regime actually resign?" Shahin said.

"The revolution is continuous, we need a swifter purge of media and political trials for those who killed the protesters. I'm supporting you."

A newly elected Islamist deputy was scolded for adding a religious reference to the swearing-in oath at the opening session of the lower house of Egypt's first post-revolution parliament, the AFP news agency reported.

The deputies started to be sworn in one by one, pledging to "preserve the safety of the nation and the interests of people and to respect the constitution and the law."

But when ultra conservative lawyer Mamduh Ismail took the microphone vowing to also "abide by the law of God", he was sharply told off by the chair Mahmoud al-Saqqa, the most senior member of parliament.

"Please stick to the text," an angry Saqqa urged Ismail, asking him to repeat the oath several times.

"Mr Ismail, my friend, please stand up and read the oath, and stick to the text," Saqqa pleaded.

Ismail finally agreed, read the oath and then insisted on adding, "and to abide by the law of God".

Egypt's lower house of parliament was holding its first session since a popular uprising ousted veteran president Hosni Mubarak and propelled Islamists to the centre stage of politics.

Potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei called for a "clear roadmap" to civilian rule in Egypt, accusing all sides of having fallen short so far in the post-Hosni Mubarak era.

"What I ask of (the ruling military) Council is that it announce a clear roadmap, to have a clear vision for citizens and for investors," the former UN nuclear watchdog chief told a news conference in Cairo.

"I believe everybody has failed to manage it, whether it be the Council, the government or the revolutionaries," said ElBaradei, referring to the transition since Mubarak's ouster in February in the face of mass protests.