Judges chide Morsi
November 28, 2012
Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Courtspokesman Maher Samy (pictured above) on Wednesday rejected the claim made by Morsi that the judiciary was partly biased and that its decision in June to invalidate the Islamist-led lower house of parliament was an act of collusion.
"It wasn't true or honest to claim that the judges of the Constitutional Court are chosen from among those who have a specific political direction or are the previous regime's allies," said Samy, referring to last year's ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak.
"The court won't be terrorized by threats or blackmail and will not submit to any pressure on it in any direction," Samy said told a news conference in Cairo. He also denied that the court had leaked rulings to the media.
Protests into sixth day
Samy's remarks followed huge protest rallies in Cairo's iconic square as well as in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria on Tuesday evening local time.
Opponents and supporters of Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood backers also clashed in the Nile Delta city of Mahalla and Port Said, leaving scores of people injured.
Early on Wednesday, police fire tear gas into Cairo's iconic square as hundreds of protestors stayed put, demanding that Morsi rescind last Thursday's decrees.
Egypt's previously divided opposition has united in also denouncing a Morsi edict that bans any judicial body from dissolving a controversial panel tasked with drafting Egypt's new constitution ahead of fresh elections.
Even confidants uninformed
The news agency Reuters said several advisors to Morsi had confided that they were not consulted prior to his issuing of the decrees and only learned of the contents via state television late on Thursday last week.
"Our opinion was not sought," said Abdel-Ghaffour, a Morsi adviser and head of the hardline Islamist Nour Party.
Egypt's Cassation Court, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it would suspend its work until Morsi rescinds his decree expanding his powers and removing judicial review, according to the Egyptian news agency MENA.
Morsi holds both executive and legislative powers. The judiciary, which critics say is still largely unreformed since Mubarak's ouster, has in recent days sought a compromise with Morsi. His original announcement said his decisions could not be challenged until a new parliament is in place. An election is expected in early 2013.
ipj/mz (dpa, Reuters, AFP)