• EGYPT
  • October 22, 2014
  • 5 minutes read

Egypt National Alliance Statement on Junta Abolition of Independence of the Judiciary

Egypt National Alliance Statement on Junta Abolition of Independence of the Judiciary

After the July 3 illegitimate military coup in Egypt, junta-controlled judiciary got more persistently involved in clearly politicized actions against independence of the judiciary, the rule of law, the Constitution and state institutions. It continues to massacre pro-legitimacy judges and issue dubious decisions to legalize acts of brutal bullying and violence against those who reject the coup.



The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance, therefore, affirms the following:


First: From a legal perspective, the coup is evidently a criminal and unconstitutional act. Likewise, all its decrees, decisions, rulings, processes and governments are null and void. Hence, it has no valid effect on legal life. It is a punishable offense. Those who commit it, and collaborators in the destruction of the state of law and institutions, as well as all those complicit in the abolition of the judiciary, must be tried and jailed.


Second: The military junta has referred the judiciary to an administrative authority, a junta ‘subsidiary’ involved in the demolition of the rule of law and the cover up of coup crimes that exceeded all limits. All articles relating to the judicial authority in the Constitution have already been suspended. Consequently, the Egyptian people’s trust in the judiciary has been shaken. This led some to suggest a boycott of courts and other judicial authorities, and a return to arbitration and customary justice.


Third: Since the first moment of the coup d’état in Egypt, the Supreme Judicial Council participated in the junta’s criminal act, and a member of the judicial institution took office as President of Egypt, with a decision from a government minister, while the elected President was held captive by the junta. A number of that supposedly neutral judicial council’s leaders and members got actively involved in political activities in support of the military coup crime.


They issued a number of flawed and politicized rulings and took action in a manner inconsistent with the law or the Constitution, which proved that the judicial institution, under junta control, lost its independence, the main pillar of its legitimacy and validity.


Therefore, there is no legitimacy to a non-independent justice system that serves a terrorist gang that rules over the people with violence and repression.


We reiterate that saving the judiciary, achieving full independence for the justice system and cleansing it of corruption are the Alliance’s top priorities. These are certainly some of the demands of the January 25 Revolution.


Further, the Alliance declares its full support for the demands of the revolutionary street for lawyers to protest by withdrawing from court sessions, according to each case’s requirements and circumstances. Meanwhile, we continue to support all detainees – victims of junta oppression.


The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance


Tuesday – October 21, 2014