Egypt - Judges Call For National Strike Over Mursi Decree
http://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2012/11/egypt-judges-call-for-national-strike.html
Egypt's judges have called for a nationwide strike in protest against a decree by President Mohammed Mursi granting himself extensive new powers.
After an emergency meeting, the judges union urged Mr Mursi to retract the decree they see as an "unprecedented attack" on the judiciary. Mr Mursi says he wants to protect the revolution.
According to his decree, no authority can revoke presidential decisions.
It includes a bar on dissolving the assembly drawing up a new constitution. Work on the constitution has been plagued by legal complaints questioning the make-up of the assembly.
Mohammed Mursi became the fifth president of Egypt in June - more than a year after protests that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.
The Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist movement that backs Mr Mursi's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) - has called for demonstrations across Egypt on Sunday, according to state news agency Mena.
The announcement came hours after pro-Mursi demonstrators tried to disrupt the judges' meeting - with opponents supporting the judges.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei said there could be no dialogue with Mr Mursi as long as the decree was in force.
Speaking to reporters, he said he was waiting to see strong condemnation of the move by the international community.
Thursday's decree sparked angry demonstrations, and attacks on offices of Mr Mursi's Islamist FJP party.
The Judges Club - the union which represents judges throughout the country - called for "the suspension of work in all courts and prosecution administrations" after emergency talks.
It said that Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, prosecutor general since the Mubarak era who was sacked as part of the decree, should be reinstated.
In a statement earlier, the Supreme Judicial Council - Egypt's highest judicial authority - called Mr Mursi's move "an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings".
Judges and prosecutors in Egypt's second city Alexandria have already begun a strike, saying they will not return to work until the decree is reversed.
According to his decree, no authority can revoke presidential decisions.
It includes a bar on dissolving the assembly drawing up a new constitution. Work on the constitution has been plagued by legal complaints questioning the make-up of the assembly.
Mohammed Mursi became the fifth president of Egypt in June - more than a year after protests that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.
The Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist movement that backs Mr Mursi's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) - has called for demonstrations across Egypt on Sunday, according to state news agency Mena.
The announcement came hours after pro-Mursi demonstrators tried to disrupt the judges' meeting - with opponents supporting the judges.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei said there could be no dialogue with Mr Mursi as long as the decree was in force.
Speaking to reporters, he said he was waiting to see strong condemnation of the move by the international community.
Thursday's decree sparked angry demonstrations, and attacks on offices of Mr Mursi's Islamist FJP party.
The Judges Club - the union which represents judges throughout the country - called for "the suspension of work in all courts and prosecution administrations" after emergency talks.
It said that Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, prosecutor general since the Mubarak era who was sacked as part of the decree, should be reinstated.
In a statement earlier, the Supreme Judicial Council - Egypt's highest judicial authority - called Mr Mursi's move "an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings".
Judges and prosecutors in Egypt's second city Alexandria have already begun a strike, saying they will not return to work until the decree is reversed.
