CAIRO: Egypt’s judicial union on Saturday called on judges to refrain from showing up to court until they receive protection from authorities after what they say are assaults by lawyers.
In an extraordinary session, the Judges Club said "there is no doubt that the judicial authority in Egypt is at risk."
The Judges Club "supports our colleagues … who have decided to suspend work in courts indefinitely and calls on the rest of the colleagues to suspend work in the rest of the courts … for their safety’s sake," it said in a statement.
The club says judges have been insulted and their court rooms vandalized, and want to guarantee the protection of the courts.
The call comes amid increasing tension between judges and lawyers over a bill written by the Judges Club that would toughen penalties on lawyers in cases of contempt of court.
According to the bill, judges could sentence lawyers to up to five years in prison should they be found of insulting the court.
The controversial article also gives judges the power to detain lawyers inside the courtroom if they are seen to disrupt order.
"The wording of the article is too broad and can be open to abuse," said Nasser Amin, who heads the Arab Center for the Independence of Judiciary and Legal Profession.
The tensions are threatening to paralyze the legal system.
"Unfortunately, this law is causing many splits, both between judges and lawyers, and among the judges themselves," Amin told AFP.
Hundreds of lawyers have been on strike and have vowed to escalate their campaign if the bill, which would have to be approved by the ruling military, is not withdrawn.
