It is no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world will be on Egypt as the investigation and possible trial of Hosni Mubarak and his sons unfold.

The charges in the various cases before the Egyptian judiciary range from corruption to the use of deadly force against civilian protestors, and the investigations and proceedings look set to cover other leading figures in the former regime, among them Fathi Srour, the ex-speaker of Parliament.

Egyptians want justice to be served; they do not want to see a mere political move to appease the masses, or the pursuit of a vendetta against certain figures. But popular pressure has certainly encouraged the authorities to follow through on the steps against Mubarak and others.

The authorities now have a golden opportunity to demonstrate their seriousness by moving ahead with the investigations and judicial process.

The officials who are now in detention, it should be noted, could have fled the country during the weeks of chaos and protests that first erupted in January. Perhaps they had a hope of securing a fair hearing, and this is what they deserve.

Events in Egypt will certainly secure an international audience, but more critical is the clear message to other countries in this region, which are either mired in similar popular upheaval, or face the prospect of such unrest.

The message is that whether or not such individuals flee, they now face the possibility that they will actually be held accountable for their actions while in power.

The region and the rest of the world are witnessing a momentous period in the history of the modern Middle East.

The media might focus on the toppling of dictators as the seminal moment in such developments, but for people who live here, holding such people accountable through a fair and transparent judicial process will have equally dramatic and long-term consequences.

The Egyptian example might not be applied easily elsewhere, since the Egyptian judiciary, or at least elements of it, have long been a rallying-point for activists and members of the political opposition.

 
The Egyptian public continued to look to the judiciary for salvation, even with the constraints of the Mubarak era, signaling the special status of many judges and lawyers.

The entire process, however, will hinge on fairness and due process. It is in no one’s interest to pursue vendettas on a selective basis, but it is obvious that the Egyptian people will not tolerate anything less than a minimum level of accountability.

The events in Egypt could serve as a catalyst for seeing the culture of accountability take hold, if the process is handled wisely and fairly.

There is no guarantee that corruption and misuse of power will vanish from the Arab world, but with a robust and independent judiciary, people can at least hope that corruption can become the exception, and not the rule.