The Tanta court decision Sunday that issued a lighter ruling against two lawyers previously convicted of assault on a Tanta prosecution head has left lawyers divided. Ehab Saie Eddin and Mostafa Fattouh, both lawyers, were sentenced to two years and three months in jail after they appealed an original sentence of five years' incarceration and an LE300 fine issued in June. It is rumored that lawyers' signatures are being collected in order to convene a general meeting in October to express a lack of confidence in the Lawyers Syndicate council, which is accused of not expending enough effort in dealing with theTanta lawyers crisis. Some lawyers say they are against withdrawing confidence in the council, however. The move could lead to judicial supervision over the syndicate, a development not welcomed by lawyers due to increasing tensions between judges and lawyers. The assault incident occurred on 6 June this year when the Tanta prosecutor slapped a lawyer in the face. The lawyer and one of his colleagues proceeded to assault the prosecution head. The earlier ruling provoked the anger of thousands of lawyers who took to the streets to protest a ruling they deemed biased, and which they criticized as being issued too quickly, as trials typically take months. Sameh Ashour, former president of the Lawyers Syndicate, said he plans to alert the syndicate council and demand an extraordinary general meeting to present the council's statement of accounts, clarifying the financial status and budget of the syndicate. Hamdi Khalifa, the current president, said he has not received any statement from lawyers seeking to convene such a meeting. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
