Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak denied charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters at the opening day of his trial in Cairo.
The former president, who was forced from office by mass demonstrations in February, was wheeled into courtroom at the police academy on a hospital bed and taken into a specially built cage to cheers from opponents.
The 83-year-old is being tried with his sons Alaa and Gamal, who also deny charges against them. Former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six other officials are also being tried.
The charge of ordering the killing of protesters carries the death penalty.
The BBC reports that the heavily barred dock was in a distant corner of the huge room, meaning Mr Mubarak and his co-accused were barely visible.
However, a well-placed television camera in the court captured pictures of Mr Mubarak, lying down on the bed and gesturing from time to time, thoroughly aware of what was going on.
Mr Mubarak was flown to Cairo from the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh where he has been under hospital arrest since April.
His trial was adjourned until 15 August.
Prosecution puts case
The prosecutor accused the former leader of involvement in the killing of protesters and allowing his interior minister to use live ammunition against them.
He told the court the killings were ordered during the 18-day protest that ousted him earlier this year and during the period from 2000 to 2010.
The prosecutor also accused Mr Mubarak of corruption and wasting public funds.
Some 3000 soldiers and police have been drafted in to maintain order at the police academy for the trial.
It was originally going to be held in a Cairo convention centre but authorities moved the venue to a temporary courtroom set up inside the academy due to security concerns.
Outside the court site on the outskirts of Cairo, a screen was erected to show the trial.
Pro- and anti-Mubarak protesters faced off. Some in the two groups hurled stones at each other. Hundreds of police intervened to calm them down.