Abdallah to challenge verdict on his appointment

Basil El-Dabh
3 Min Read
Talaat Abdallah served as Prosecutor General during most of ousted president Morsi’s tenure (AFP/ File photo / Mahmoud Khaled)
Prosecutor General Tala’at Abdallah intends to appeal the court decision that ruled that he had been illegally appointed, said Attorney General of the High State Security Prosecution Hisham Al-Qarmouti. (AFP/ File photo / Mahmoud Khaled)
Prosecutor General Tala’at Abdallah intends to appeal the court decision that ruled that he had been illegally appointed, said Attorney General of the High State Security Prosecution Hisham Al-Qarmouti.
(AFP/ File photo / Mahmoud Khaled)

Prosecutor General Tala’at Abdallah intends to appeal the court decision that ruled that he had been illegally appointed, said Attorney General of the High State Security Prosecution Hisham Al-Qarmouti.

Abdallah said the decision made by the Cairo Court of Appeals last Wednesday was unenforceable as it was unconstitutional and violated the law, according to state-owned Al-Ahram.

Al-Qarmouti met with Abdallah on Saturday at the prosecutor general’s office at the High Court building with a team of lawyers to discuss the ruling and how to go about challenging it.

Hamed Sediq of the National Centre for Research presented an appeal to the Abdeen Court of Urgent Matters. His submission will be considered on 15 April, reported Al-Ahram.

The Cairo Court of Appeals has yet to issue the arguments for its verdict. Former Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud previously stated he would not comment on the verdict until the court had released this statement.

Opposition groups called for protests on Friday against Abdallah at the High Court in reaction to a judiciary that the National Salvation Front (NSF) considers dependent on the Muslim Brotherhood in an increasingly polarised political climate.

The presidency and the State Litigation Authority both claimed they would wait for the verdict memo of the ruling before filing any appeal.

Morsi appointed Abdallah after his constitutional declaration on 22 November, deposing Abdel Meguid Mahmoud. The decision was met with criticism from opposition groups, which claimed it was illegal for the president to appoint a prosecutor general.

Groups supporting the president claimed that the step was necessary in order to depose Mahmoud, who is widely considered a Mubarak loyalist, as part of a larger-scale “cleansing” of the judiciary.

The NSF has demanded Abdallah’s sacking and the legal appointment of a prosecutor general through the Supreme Council of the Judiciary.

Abdallah previously appeared to resign in December when prosecutors began a sit-in at his office, but later withdrew his resignation.

Share This Article
Leave a comment