Egypt’s deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak is expected to be freed from prison and placed under house arrest after his release was ordered following more than two years in detention.

Egyptian liberal opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei said yesterday that the Arab Spring revolution of 2011 had been relaunched by the announcement of an army-sponsored roadmap which removed Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

Hundreds of thousands thronged the streets of Cairo and cities around the country and marched on the presidential palace, in an attempt to force out the Islamist president with the biggest protests Egypt has seen in two years of turmoil.

Thousands of supporters of Egypt’s embattled Islamist president are rallying in the nation’s capital in a show of support ahead of what are expected to be massive opposition-led protests to demand Mohammed Morsi’s removal.