Egypt’s State Commissioner’s Authority issued on Tuesday its report that included the legal opinion in the lawsuit that was filed demanding the cancellation of the maritime demarcation agreement with Saudi Arabia, recommending the formation of a technical committee to decide on the status of Tiran and Sanafir islands.
The committee that was recommended by the authority will consist of experts in geography, history, maps, and other relevant fields that will serve the case. The committee is intended to assist the judge in reaching a decision.
On the other hand, the administrative control authority refrained from handing over the documents in the case despite the court’s order. The authority was fined with EGP 200 for obstructing the case.
The report had several demands from the commission that will be formed, including examining documents that specify whether Tiran and Sanafir islands are Egyptian or not.
Lawyer Khaled Ali who filed the lawsuit said that everybody at the beginning said that it is a losing case and there is no point. In addition, no one thought there would be any documents to prove that the two islands are Egyptian.
However, he added that he collaborated with other lawyers and opted for the legal choice in the case as a form of social resistance.
“When we asked for documents that prove that the islands are Egyptian, we were surprised with hundreds of citizens sending over documents that assisted in our case,” Ali said, adding that they have no choice but to resist in order to protect history.
Lawyer Negad Al-Borai said the decision of the State Commissioner’s Authority to form a technical committee is the first nail in the coffin of the signed agreement.
Meanwhile, although the agreement that was signed between Egypt and Saudi Arabia is not yet legal or constitutional, a professor at Alexandria University was referred to investigations after he pointed out in an exam that Tiran and Sanafir islands are Egyptian.
A number of protesters and activists were arrested during anti-government demonstrations on 25 April in opposition to the agreement.
