CAIRO: On Saturday, Egypt's judicial union told Egyptin judges to suspend their work in courts indefinitely until they receive full protection and security from authorities. Egypt's Judges Club has reported that judges need protection from the courts after lawyers have insulted them and vandalized their court rooms. Egypt's lawyers are angry over a bill drafted by the judicial union, set to toughen penalties for lawyers in cases of contempt of court. Egyptian lawyers declared an open-ended strike on Saturday, set to call upon Egypt's interim government, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) to drop the bill, which they say they were not consulted on. According to the new bill, judges could sentence lawyers up to five years in prison for insulting the court. Some believe that the broad wording of the proposed bill could also give judges the authority to detain lawyers in the courtroom if they are found to disrupt court proceedings. Egypt's judges plan to strike until authorities guarantee their protection. “This move will be maintained until the state authorities play their role in protecting the judges so that they can undertake their mission,” said the judicial union in a statement. SCAF must approve of the bill in order for it to pass. Some fear that the tensions will paralyze Egypt's legal system. BM
