Top judges, opposition protest Morsi’s power-extending decree
Protesters
demonstrating against Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Morsi run
from tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police during clashes in Cairo's
landmark Tahrir square on November 23, 2012.(AFP Photo / Ahmed
Mahmoud)
RT,
24
Novemner, 2012
Riot
police fired tear gas to disperse crowds of people camped out at
Cairo’s Tahrir Square, protesting against President Mohamed Morsi’s
power-extending decree. Egypt’s top judges have demanded the leader
reverse the measure.
In
a press conference on Saturday, Egypt's Judges Club called for
peaceful demonstrations against the decree.
The
primary court in Alexandria, along with the judges club there,
announced that they and public prosecutors have suspended all work
until the declaration is withdrawn, state news agency MENA reports.
The
Supreme Judicial Council called on Morsi to "distance
this decree from everything that violates the judicial
authority," Mena
state news agency reported. The Council also urged Morsi to reverse
the declaration, calling it an“unprecedented
attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings.”
Protesters
rallied against the move over the past two days, prompting two of
Morsi’s presidential aides and his Coptic Christian assistant to
resign.
The
demonstrations were in response to Morsi’s declaration, which was
issued on Thursday. The decree protects Egypt’s
constitution-drafting assembly from being dissolved, and rules that
none of the leader’s decisions can be overturned.
Tens
of thousands of Morsi opponents and supporters turned out in several
Egyptian cities on Friday. Over 100 people were reportedly injured in
clashes.
Protesters gather at Tahrir square in Cairo November 23, 2012.(Reuters / Mohamed Abd El Ghany)
Demonstrators
vowed to continue the protest until Morsi's declaration is reversed
and the constituent assembly is dissolved. The Strong Egypt Party,
headed by former Muslim Brotherhood leader Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh,
called for a march later on Saturday.
According
to a statement released by the party, a march is scheduled to leave
from Cairo University at 4:00pm local time and head toward Tahrir
Square, Ahram Online reported.
When
more protesters tried to join people at Tahrir, police reportdely
teargassed them, forcing them out of the square.
The
statement explained the party’s refusal of several articles of
Morsi's declaration, including how presidential decisions were
shielded from judicial challenges and how the Constituent Assembly
and Shura Council could not be dissolved.
A
mass protest has already been planned for Tuesday by the Popular
Current, which is led by former presidential candidate Hamdeen
Sabbahi.
The
Muslim Brotherhood has also called for a protest on Tuesday, in a
show of support for President Morsi's decisions.
“The
Muslim brotherhood has answered this by rallying their members
together to counteract that by making a pro-president rally. So, what
they are really doing is countering every move the opposition
makes,” Cairo-based
journalist Bel Trew told RT.
Meanwhile,
a weeklong sit-in is currently underway in Cairo’s Tahrir Square,
as demonstrators protest against a leader who they is no different
than former President Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown last year.
People from different opposition groups sit in front of their tents during a sit-in at Tahrir square to protest a decree issued by President Mohamed Mursi in Cairo November 24, 2012.(Reuters / Asmaa Waguih)
Police
and security forces reportedly tried to break up the protest with
tear gas on several occasions throughout the night.
Morsi’s
move has left the country divided on whether he had the legal power
to issue his decree.
Muslim
Brotherhood supporters stood by Morsi on Friday, rallying outside the
presidential palace in Cairo.
They
were met by angry anti-Morsi protesters, who demonstrated against
what they deemed a coup and demanded the president resign.
Many
of those currently demonstrating against the leader used to be Morsi
supporters.
"I
am not happy with actions of the Muslim Brotherhood and of Morsi…I
am one of the people who voted for Morsi, but I am disappointed in
him,” protester
Ahmed Moamen told AP.
Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi speaks to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo November 23, 2012.(Reuters / Handout)
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