The judicial crisis has moved to other Arab countries, whereby 35 Qatari judges out of 75, including presidents of supreme courts, have submitted their resignations in protest against what they called ‘arbitrary' decisions by Masoud Al-Emari, the President of the Supreme Council of Magistracy, and his interference in the judiciary. Al-Masry Al-Youm has learnt that Emari, who took office last July, has adopted several resolutions that the judges considered a cracking down on them, such as deducting their leaves from their salaries, subjecting them to inspection, forcing them to sign attendance sheets and delaying their travel permits. The 85 Egyptian judges that are seconded to Qatar stood with their Qatari colleagues because his resolutions apply to them as well. Also, Emari had gone to Morocco to contract Moroccan judges to work in Doha, which they considered a threat to their posts. Judicial sources said that what has triggered the crisis was Emari trying to influence a judge in a case pertaining to his nephew, which the judge has refused to comply with. He declined the case and informed the Emir of the incident. Immediately thereafter, 34 judges, including the President of the Court of Appeals, his deputy, the President of the Court of First Instance and the Secretary-General of the Council of the Judiciary submitted their resignations in protest at that incident and the above resolutions. The Amiri Diwan has interfered to appease the anger of the judges, who call for full independence of the judiciary and for an independent budget for the Supreme Judicial Council. Also the Council of Ministers decided to raise their financial packages.
