Egypt’s Constitutional Court Puts Off Ruling On Assembly Legitimacy Surrounded By Pro-Morsi Protesters
By RT
The Constitutional Court has put off the session on the dissolution of the Egypt’s Constituent Assembly & Shura, as thousands pro-Morsi demonstrators gather outside the court.
“The Supreme Constitutional Court judges now have no choice but to declare the suspension of the hearing until they can continue their session and rulings without any psychological and material pressures,” read the statement by the Supreme Court quoted by local news website nile.eg.
Islamist protesters attempted to prevent judges from entering the Supreme Court, which was expected to rule later on Sunday whether the assembly that approved the draft of the country’s constitution should be deemed illegitimate, and disbanded.
The demonstrators installed a platform in front of the court building, from where they chanted slogans hostile to the court and its judges through loudspeakers, Ahram Online reported.
The area nearby the court was surrounded by scores of police and armored vehicles, along with ambulances and fire brigades.
The Constitutional Assembly had to sit through the night on Thursday to agree the 234 article Sharia-based constitution draft. The document was approved by 85 out of the 100-members of the assembly after a 13-hour session.
However, even if the Constitutional Court manages to dissolve the Assembly, it is not clear is that would cancel the popular vote set to take place in two weeks.
The leader has yet to sign the draft, which sparked mass outrage among anti-Morsi protesters, who claim that the new constitution is “too Islamist”.
This came as pro-Morsi demonstrators shouted “The people support the president’s decision!” and held posters reading “Yes to stability” and “Yes to Islamic law.” The rally was organized by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties.
The judges also oppose the presidential decree barring the judicial authorities from dissolving the constitutional assembly.
Meanwhile, the head of the European Parliament has proposed halting the organization’s cooperation with Egypt, pointing out that economic sanctions may be the only way to deal with the current crisis.
