Lawyers staged a sit-in at the Bar Association headquarters to protest against the bill on increasing judicial fees. They also called on President Mubarak to intervene and use his constitutional powers to stop the discussion of the bill at the People's Assembly, as they said it was a socially-dangerous bill. They also said they would carry out a march today to the People's Assembly dressed in their black robes. Speaking at a press conference at the Association headquarters in Cairo yesterday, the lawyers said: "This new law will impose for the first time a tax to resort to courts and this is unconstitutional." They warned about the danger posed by this law on social security and peace, as the judiciary would be no longer available to everyone. They said they had found no alternative but to send a statement to President Mubarak, adding that what they called the birds of darkness in the country were too weak to turn this society into a forest and the judiciary into a tax collector that cannot make justice. Yesterday, the lawyers continued their protests nationwide against the bill, which is being discussed today at the People's Assembly. In Mansoura (Dakahlia), around 100 lawyers staged a protest in front of Mansoura Court of First Instance for the same reason. Damietta's lawyers went on strike in the different courts of the governorate to protest against the bill. In Suez, the branch of the Bar Association is holding a conference today.
