Independence: We Didn’t Retreat, What Occurred Was Result of Governmental Constraints

Judicial Independence leader Mahmud El-Khodeiry affirmed in a statement to Ikhwanweb the absence of any retreat on the trend’s part despite its defeat in the Judges of Egypt elections and last Friday’s elections for the Judges of Alexandria Club.

El-Khodeiry added that what happened was expected considering Egypt’s current circumstances after the government realized the threat which the independence trend posed pointing out that judges are the strongest force on the government as it is difficult to mistreat them because they are supposedly a neutral party with no powers other than that of law.

El-Khodeiry further pointed out that the government had played with the economic card at the expense of principles which he pointed, citing the Turkish model, could not alone count for the success of the Justice and Development  Party in Turkey in the last legislative elections without their achievements in the economic domain or save them from retreat in the last municipal elections, despite their honorable stances throughout the last war on Gaza, after the effects of the global financial crisis on the Turkish  economy.  

El-Khodeiry affirmed the independence’s pursuit to form a stance on material issues despite the difficulty to achieve that whether in or outside the club because of the government.

Regarding news about a trend in the club banning speaking with the media, El-Khodeiry explained that whoever calls for such practices should abide by them first adding that these people are annoyed by the media because while government-media whether print or auditory doesn’t enjoy wide popularity, independent media reflects the true voice of the people.

El-Khodeiry further pointed out that the independence trend will be studying a proposal for the complete cancellation of the club’s upper third renewal elections adding that in the case where this procedure is counted illegal according to the club’s charter, the trend will challenge this decision.