The decision to send Judge Amir Awad, president of Giza General Court, to the disciplinary council was met with fierce criticism and anger among judicial colleagues in Egypt. According to the Ministry of Justice, Judge Awad, a member of the board of directors of the Judges Club in Mansoura, was referred to the disciplinary council after a complaint from the chairman of the Bar Association in Giza was lodged. Responding to the referral, judges in the Mansoura Judges Club held an emergency session of the general assembly on July 8. Over 500 Egyptian judges from various governorates attended the meeting where a decision to stage a sit-in at the club building was made. The judges vowed to stay until the disciplinary case against Awad is withdrawn and complete independence of the judiciary in Egypt is secured. The sit-in will continue until the demands are met and Awad's case is withdrawn, said Hussein Kandeel, president of the Judges Club, who considers the case against Awad to be illegitimate and unfounded. Hussein said if their demands are not met by July 29, he will convene another emergency general assembly meeting in Cairo where the same judges will attend in support of Awad. Judges from across Egypt urged the Ministry of Justice to meet their demands and assure the complete independence of the judiciary immediately.
