Egypt judges demand real authority, an independent judicial system

Hundreds of Egyptian judges threatened not to supervise the next presidential elections if the government will not amend several laws that said to have had limited their authority.

In a statement of protest issued on Friday in Alexandria, some 1200 judges said that the current laws do not permit guaranteeing free and fair elections.

The judges also threatened to obstruct the presidential elections if the authorities will not make a distinction between the executive and judicial departments and called for the amendment of laws in a way the ministry of the interior gives up its authorities to supervising the election process.

Judge Husam al-Gharyani, one of the prominent opposition figures, said that what the judges want "is an independent judicial system through which they can protect freedoms and human rights." By this movement of protest, part of the Egyptian judicial system would have joined the opposition movement which though welcomed the step taken by the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to amend the constitution and open the doors for presidential election nominations, yet considered that the laws are still in need to be amended so as to ensure real free elections.