The ACIJLP holds the Egyptian authorities responsibility for securing the role of justice and the courts in Egypt and the physical integrity of judges

Cairo, 28^th November 2012

The ACIJLP holds the Egyptian authorities responsibility for securing the role of justice and the courts in Egypt and the physical integrity of judges

The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Professions (ACIJLP) calls upon the Egyptian authorities in Egypt to play its role in securing the role of justice and the courts in Egypt, and holds the Egyptian authorities the responsibility for the physical integrity of judges, not to expose them to the risk due to the performance of the profession, not to exercise any kind of pressure on them or improper interference in the judicial proceedings.

The ACIJLP expresses its concern and full condemnation on besieged the headquarters of the Supreme Constitutional Court in Egypt, on Sunday, 2^nd December 2012 through large numbers of demonstrators belonging to political Islamic party in Egypt, chanting slogans denouncing the Supreme Constitutional Court and its judges, which poses a grave threat to Court’s judges, prevents them from sentencing in impartial and independent manner and prevents the Court and its judges to perform their profession in Disposition of a constitutional Case which was scheduled by the court.

The ACIJLP is concerned that this type of inappropriate interference  represents a serious breach of the independence of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, and represents a series of actions that prejudice the independence of the Egyptian judiciary in general including the Constitutional Declaration issued on Thursday, 22^nd November 2012, which constitutes a serious threat for the independence of the judiciary and threatens the right to resort to the judiciary.

The ACIJLP points out that this incident represents a serious breach of the Egyptian judiciary in general and the Supreme Constitutional Court in particular, especially since the demonstrators were afraid of the judgments which do not serve their interests and attitudes so they tried to disrupt the court and prevent it from taking legal proceedings relating to the consideration and adjudication of constitutional matters before it, a matter which represents a clear breach of a number of relevant international agreements, covenants and commitments especially Article )4) of the basic Principles on the independence of the judiciary, which states that " There shall not be any inappropriate or unwarranted interference with the judicial process ..... "

The Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt is scheduled to issue rulings today in actions related to the unconstitutionality of the Law of The Shura Council elections, and the unconstitutionality of the law on the standards of electing members of the constituent assembly who will draft the country’s new constitution. Due to the presence of large numbers of demonstrators referred to in front of the headquarters of the Court and chanting slogans against the court and its judges, the judges of the court and the court’s staff are not able to access the court to practice their duties.