Presidential hopeful Khaled Ali came before Egypt’s State Court on Monday to present arguments in four different cases, filed before he announced his candidacy in the presidential elections.

The first case is related to removing the emergency law, which was a central pillar of Hosni Mubarak’s regime and continues to be in place under the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, to fight terrorism and "thuggery."

Ali argues that the law should not remain in effect without a referendum mandating this.

The second case deals with reversing the decision made by the former minister of finance, Youssef Boutrous Ghali, to merge private and public insurance funds together.

The third case demands the merging of private funds into the state budget, so that it is under the supervision of the Central Auditing Organisation, whose task is to supervise the management of public sector companies and government departments.

The fourth case is against the military trial of Mohamed Gad El-Rab, more famously known as Sambo, who was sentenced to a 15-year prison sentence last September over his alleged involvement in clashes between the families of martyrs and police forces in June last year.

Ali is a renowned lawyer and activist who has made a career out of defending the rights of workers, peasants and students.

Ali announced his intention to run for president in March 2012, with a programme of achieving the revolution's goals. His presidential campaign emphasises social equity, the redistribution of wealth, civil liberties and continuing in the revolutionary course.

Presidential elections will take place on 23 and 24 May, and the president will be named on 21 June after a run-off voting round on 16 and 17 June.