Egyptian autopsy on Zaki Mubarak complete, body expected to move to Gaza

Egyptian forensic experts completed on Wednesday the autopsy that was being performed on the body of Zaki Mubarak in preparation for a detailed report on the cause of death.

Mubarak, a Palestinian national, was arrested in Turkey on spying charges and died in mysterious circumstances.

Sharif Sudqi, Mubarak’s lawyer, told Al Arabiya that forensics took around 30 samples from the body, including skin, internal tissues, fingernail scrapings, and hair from injured areas to determine the reason for injury.

The lawyer of Mubarak’s family, Sherif Ghneim, said that they will attach the report, as soon as it is issued, to a lawsuit they will raise in France, adding that they will use it to demand that the Turkish officials involved in torturing and killing Mubarak be brought to justice.

The body will be transferred to Gaza late Wednesday, as soon as all the transferring procedures are done, said Ghneim, adding that it will be accompanied by an envoy from the Palestinian embassy.

Mubarak’s body arrived in Cairo from Turkey on May 16, along with a medical report from the Turkish authorities written in Turkish, English, and Arabic, according to Sudqi. Turkey claims that Mubarak committed suicide in prison.

“All three reports do not have a death certificate but include records of injuries and bruises,” Sudqi told Al Arabiya.

“The body is completely empty. Even the tongue does not exist,” Mubarak’s brother Zakaria said after he received the body in Cairo.