Mubarak, a former general who was president of Egypt for 30 years, had been in Maadi Military Hospital since 2011, when he fled power in the wake of an uprising that toppled his government and led to many convictions of government officials and then a new government, which was itself replaced by another new government led by a new general.

The final court ruling came down in his favor several days ago. Mubarak, now 88, remained defiant, saying that he had played no part in the crackdown that led to the death of hundreds of protesters. In the end, the court effectively nullified all such charges against Mubarak. He had already served three years in detention at the military hospital after being convicted on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, the country's military has moved on, installing its top general, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as president (after an election) and arresting and jailing tens of thousands of activists who led the 2011 uprising. Also in jail is Mubarak's successor, the democratically elected Mohammed Morsi, himself convicted on charges of ordering the deaths of protesters.

Sisi presides over a parliament filled with his supporters, after a number of political parties boycotted the 2015 elections. Elections for president and parliament are scheduled for 2018, amid a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty. Whether Mubarak remains silent in his newfound state of freedom remains to be seen.