As if internal disputes at the Bar Association were not enough, lawyers are now lining up against judges, reports Mona El-Nahhas Thousands of lawyers staged a general work stoppage at provincial courts on Tuesday to protest against the detention of two lawyers -- Ihab Saadeddin and Mustafa Fatouh -- who are being charged with assaulting and libelling Bassem Abul-Rous, a senior prosecutor in Tanta. Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud referred the two lawyers to the Cairo Criminal Court on Sunday, to the anger of their colleagues. The trial of the two began yesterday. On Monday hundreds of lawyers staged a sit- in in front of Abul-Rous's office, shouting slogans against members of the general prosecution and the judiciary. Nineteen were referred to investigation, charged with causing LE200,000 worth of damage to public property -- the Tanta Appeals Court. The extent of the damage is based on a report issued by Tanta Municipal Council. Lawyers continued their sit-in at the Bar Association Gharbiya branch, threatening to go on a hunger strike if Saadeddin and Fatouh were not released. The two lawyers deny assaulting Abul-Rous, claiming that he attacked them, and have filed a complaint against Abul-Rous before the Minister of Justice Mamdouh Marei. Bar Association Chairman Hamdi Khalifa announced during a press conference held at the bar headquarters on Monday that Tuesday's work stoppage was the first step in a campaign that would escalate "if the crisis is not settled". Khalifa said he had asked the prosecutor-general to refer Abul-Rous to trial as well as the two lawyers since it was unclear who instigated the attack. Khalifa's statements are widely viewed as an attempt to improve the image of the Syndicate Council among its members in the face of growing criticism. Calls for a vote of no- confidence in Khalifa, and the syndicate treasurer Omar Haridi, have been made, and steps are being taken to convene an emergency general assembly. Many lawyers complain about the deterioration in the level of services offered to syndicate members. Khalifa and Haridi also attracted the ire of members last month when they submitted amendments to the law regulating the legal profession without consulting the syndicate's general assembly. Khalifa, a member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), is accused by many of selling out lawyers' interests to the party. Lawyers also worry that the syndicate has lost respect, and with it the profession, citing recent attacks on lawyers in Helwan, Beheira and Tanta. "In the absence of a syndicate capable of defending the dignity of its members, humiliating lawyers has become common practice," leftist lawyer Ahmed Qenawi told Al-Ahram Weekly. Reacting angrily to calls to withdraw confidence, Khalifa attacked Tareq El-Awadi, the coordinator of the so-called independent front of lawyers, accusing him of forging the seals on requests written by lawyers from Minya and Sharqiya branches. Khalifa also hinted that supporters of former syndicate chairman Sameh Ashour are behind the move. During a press conference on Saturday Khalifa said he would not convene a general assembly until investigations into the forged seals are complete. During the conference, Khalifa distributed pamphlets bearing the title "Rigging Exposed". During a parallel conference, held at the syndicate headquarters by the independent front, El-Awadi said Khalifa's allegations were groundless. He presented letters signed by the deputy chairmen of Minya and Sharqiya branches affirming that the seals were genuine. Should members of the general assembly vote to withdraw confidence from Khalifa, Deputy Chairman Said Abdel-Khaleq will take over until fresh polls are can be held, says Qenawi. Under the syndicate's rules, Abdel-Khaleq must call for new elections within 60 days. El-Awadi discounts any possibility that the current turmoil could lead to the syndicate being placed under judicial sequestration. He points out that the motion of no-confidence would be addressed only to the chairman and treasurer. "As to the rest of the council members, their posts will not be touched." "Talk about placing the syndicate under judicial sequestration aims to intimidate lawyers and prevent them from questioning the performance of the current council," argues Qenawi. Since the Bar Association's last elections in May 2009, it has been embroiled in seemingly endless internal disputes. Members are aligned in two conflicting camps: supporters of Khalifa and the group of NDP lawyers who seized a majority of the council seats on one hand, and lawyers who are mainly supporters of former Nasserist chairman Sameh Ashour on the other. Members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, who occupy 18 of the council's 46 seats, have so far adopted a neutral stand.
