Judges' club lauds court walkouts

Egypt Judges' Club lauded on Monday commitment of most of judges and prosecution members to suspend work across the nation in protest against the constitutional declaration that was issued by President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday. The club's general assembly has called on all courts across Egypt to suspend all but their most vital activities until Morsi's declaration is cancelled. The club urged the other courts that did not obey the general assembly's recommendations to suspend work in order to defend the independence of judiciary. As per the declaration, any decision taken by Morsi since he was elected and until the writing of a new constitution will be immunized against any legal challenge. The declaration also sacked Mubarak-era prosecuter general Abdel Meguid Mahmoud and ordered a re-trial of all killers of revolutionaries. The club of counselors of the State Lawsuits Authority urged non-interference in judiciary affairs and respect for separation of powers. The constitutional declaration issued by the president on Thursday caused severe division among political powers, judges and the people, the club said in a statement Monday. The new declaration stipulates holding retrials into crimes pertaining to killing and injuring protesters committed under the former regime. It also makes all of the president's decisions unchallengeable by any judicial body. Morsi also appointed a new prosecutor general and immunized the Shura Council, the upper chamber of parliament, and the Constituent Assembly, the constitution-drafting body, against dissolution. It is of the utmost necessity that the judicial branch in Egypt retains its muscles and its rulings be venerated, the Arab Lawyers association (ALA) said in a statement Monday. The ALA is following with great concern the meddling in the judiciary in Arab countries and particularly Egypt after President Morsi has stripped judges of their indepence. The independence of the judicial authority is above all charters and constitutional declarations as stated in the UN 1985 resolution which forbids unjustified interference in the judiciary's work, the statement said. Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court supervises the constitutionality of bills, "this is an essential corner stone of all modern states' wellbeing," the ALA reminded in sharp tone.