Updated at 4.56pm

AN EGYPTIAN COURT has ordered the release of former president Hosni Mubarak, according to judicial sources in the country.

The court has ordered he be allowed free from detention while he stands trial for corruption and killing protesters.

There is no indication as to whether the release of the 85-year-old is imminent. In the past, prosecutors have levelled new charges against Mubarak each time he has been granted release to ensure he remains in detention.

Should Mubarak be freed, he still faces charges of corruption and complicity in the deaths of protesters during the early 2011 uprising that overthrew him, with his next hearing scheduled for Sunday.

Today’s development threatens to add a volatile new element to the political turmoil that has left nearly 1,000 people dead in a week of clashes between Islamists and security forces.

- Additional reporting by AFP

- An earlier version of this story appeared at 2pm

Tanaiste: We’ve no information on reports of Halawa siblings being charged

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