Mubarak Steps Down

Celebrations on Tahrir Square after the announcement of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's resignation in Cairo on February 11, 2011.

Heba Morayef reports from Tahrir Square, where the crowd is celebrating after the announcement that President Hosni Mubarak has stepped down.

(Cairo) Today belongs to the people of Egypt as they celebrate a great triumph in their struggle for freedom, dignity and human rights against decades of repression and corruption. The road ahead is full of challenges and the Egyptian army must honor its pledge to protect the gains of this courageous protest movement. But tonight as darkness falls on Tahrir Square, it's packed with elated, cheering patriotic Egyptians who can hardly believe what they have achieved. We celebrate with them their courage and persistence in the face of dictatorship. This is a moment of huge emotion and a moment of great hope for Egypt and the region.

(New York, February 10, 2011) - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's speech to the nation on February 10, 2011, failed to address the human rights crisis fuelling the popular protests, Human Rights Watch said today. Egypt's international partners, including the United States and European Union members, should make clear that continued assistance to Egypt's security forces depends on immediate progress towards full respect for human rights and a democratic transition.