(Public Domain)
The presidency announced the formation of a new advisory body of legal experts that are expected to handle certain legal and constitutional affairs. The committee consists of 16 advisors, and includes judges, university professors, and lawyers.
The members of the newly-formed body include Mohamed Abdel Hamid Massoud, Mohamed Mostafa Al-Kanany Madi, Mostafa Gomaa, Ahmed Abu Al-Wafaa Hassan, Hazem Metwali Atlam, Mohamed Abu Younis, Mounir Abdel Gawad, Mohamed Gibreel, Yasser Al-Serafi, Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud, Ibrahim Abdel Moneim Mohamed, Awad Mohamed Moussa, Tala’at Mohamed Kamal Mahmoud, Reda Atteya Saafan, Osama Abdel Latif Khalil, and Mohamed Mahmoud Diab.
Abdel Maqsoud is a prominent lawyer for the Muslim Brotherhood, while Massoud is head of the second circuit of the Administrative Judiciary Court.
Former presidential advisor for legal affairs Mohamed Fouad Gadallah announced his resignation last month, releasing a statement very critical of various decisions that had been made by the presidency. He spoke out against Prime Minister Hisham Qandil’s cabinet, criticised President Mohamed Morsi’s inability to conduct national reconciliation with the opposition, and what he saw as Egypt opening its doors to the spread of Shi’a Islam.
A statement issued by the presidency said that Morsi will meet with the advisory authority early next week.
