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.



Lawyers demand court step down from presiding over ‘Red Sea islands' appeal
Saudi demanded that Egypt "occupy" the islands to secure them, say state lawyers
Published in Daily News Egypt on 26 - 06 - 2016

Amid chants from attendees and activists in the court room, the Supreme Administrative Court on Sunday postponed the appeal case of Tiran and Sanafir islands to 3 July, after the plaintiffs called for the judging panel to step down, due to the possible intervention of the executive branch in the judiciary.
Lawyer Mohamed Adel, one of the plaintiffs, asked the court to step down in protest to the claimed intervention of the executive branch in the case, after statements and mobilisations by Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Magdy El–Agaty and assistant to the Minister of Defence General Mamdouh Shahin.
Adel said that demanding the court to step down is not a sign of distrust, but an effort to make the court bypass any "embarrassment".
Osman Al-Hefnawy, one of the plaintiffs, told Daily News Egypt that the court will look into the demand. If accepted, the case will be transferred to another court. If refused, then it will have to issue a verdict in the case.
The refusal scenario, Al-Hefnawy added, will most likely be an "executive decision".
After Adel presented his demand, the judging panel withdrew from the session. Minutes later, plaintiff lawyer Khaled Ali told journalists that he was informed that the session was postponed.
A judicial source told Daily News Egypt that if the court has two options: either to accept Adel's demand, declare the "non-specialisation" of the Supreme Administrative Court, and move the case to the Supreme Constitutional Court, or to accept the previous verdict entailing that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Egypt is annulled.
The State Lawsuit Authority (SLA) provided documents and official letters between Saudi Arabian and Egyptian officials, showing that the former had asked Egypt to "occupy" the islands in order to secure them "until the region is stable".
The lawyer added that Saudi Arabia had the right to regain sovereignty over the islands, after it asked Egyptian authorities to protect them from Israel.

"The return of the islands to Saudi Arabia is not the work of the current government. This was discussed and agreed upon in former governments," he added.
During the hearing, Ali said that "we are here to search for the truth, the truth of every drop of blood spilt on this land. Was it Saudi Arabian or Egyptian? Historical facts are the only answer to this conflict, not different points of view. There are those who hide documents from the court and the people. We are going to present historical, geographical, and military facts, along with evidence and documents released from Egyptian institutions."
Unlike previous trial sessions looking into the case, court security tightened their grip on media personnel covering the session through registration paperwork. It also made journalists write vows not to take pictures outside of the court venue.
The court obstructed journalists with cameras from covering the session, asking for permissions and paperwork. Journalists lined up in front of the administrative offices at the State Council, waiting for the issuance of the papers. Security from the court instructed media personnel to stay in the first floor of the court, and to remain seated until they had the permissions.
Up until Sunday afternoon, the State Council had not decided on a courthouse to hold the session. Confused by various statements, the journalists and plaintiffs kept moving between venues based on official orders, until the session was held.
The session witnessed heavy chanting by activists who attended the session in solidarity, such as "The islands are Egyptian", "We don't want the Saudi Bridge", and "Malek Adly is free".

Last week's verdict was a shock to the government, which coldly reacted to the decision by vowing to appeal the case and arguing that the Administrative Court lacks specialisation to rule in the case.
Meanwhile, several members of parliament said in media statements that after the verdict, Saudi Arabia can go the International Court of Justice to demand sovereignty over the islands.
In an interview on Egyptian state TV, parliamentary speaker Ali Abdul Aal asked everyone who has documents proving that the islands belong to Egypt to hand them over to the authorities.


Clic here to read the story from its source.