Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    SCZONE signs $52.6m textile industry deals during China investment tour    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Morsy appoints emergency court judges
Published in Daily News Egypt on 03 - 10 - 2012

Repressive measures associated with the state of emergency that was in force until May of this year were used to detain and convict protesters from clashes such as Mohamed Mahmoud Street in November 2011 (File photo)
Laurence Underhill / DNE
An Egyptian rights group has sued to repeal a presidential order that would effectively reinstate the country's reviled state of emergency.
Although the state of emergency was lifted in May of this year, President Mohamed Morsy issued a presidential order on 22 September that appointed 3,649 judges to seats in State Security Emergency Courts.
There are around ten court cases still lingering from the last state of emergency (which lasted for 31 years), but the small number does not explain the appointment of thousands of judges.
In response, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is filing their lawsuit. “Emergency courts are the courts that are working during the state of emergency, they are specifically looking into people breaking the emergency law. So by definition, when the state of emergency ends, there is no more court," said Magda Boutros, criminal justice director at EIPR.
What's more, according to Boutros, “the president no longer has the power to make this order because he only gets that power from the state of emergency law."
The article containing the emergency law is currently being reviewed by the Constitutional Court.
The state of emergency was frequently abused by Hosni Mubarak's regime. “These courts have no guarantee of fair trial, no due process," said Boutros. “They were known for arbitrary decisions and not guaranteeing the basic minimum rights for the accused."
The reinstatement of these courts could be a dangerous step in the direction of dictatorship because the very nature of the courts gives the president sweeping powers by allowing him to not only select the judges, from the judiciary or the military, but also to modify any decisions that are eventually made.
“This is not acceptable legally," reiterated Boutros, “but also in political terms, this cannot be acceptable politically. The end of the emergency law was one of the major victories of the revolution. The new president will not be able to justify in any way this decision."


Clic here to read the story from its source.