Egypt sends 41 judges of the Morsi-era into early retirement

(File-photo Al-Ahram)  Press conference by the ''Judges of Egypt''.

A disciplinary committee referred Saturday 41 judges for early retirement in two separate cases on charges of involvement in political activities. Of the 41 referred, 31 were convicted of signing a statement supporting ousted Mohamed Morsi following his removal from office in July 2013. Twenty-five judges were acquitted in the same case.
Another 10 judges belonging to the reformist "Judges of Egypt" were referred in a separate case for early retirement on charges of involvement in political activities. Five judges were acquitted in the second case.
Judges for Egypt is a group of Egyptian reformist judges that helped monitor the post-25 January Revolution presidential elections, won by deposed president Mohamed Morsi. The group has been accused of affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The judges are also known for their leading role in the movement demanding judicial independence in 2005-2006 under ousted president Hosni Mubarak.The group was the first to announce Morsi’s victory in the 2012 presidential poll, a day before official results were released by the Supreme Presidential Elections Commission (SPEC). Later investigations showed that the group held press conferences to support a constitutional declaration issued by Morsi in November 2012 in which he elevated the presidency above judicial review.
In September 2014  already the prosecutor-general under president Morsi, Talaat Abdallah was sent into early retirement, as well as seven judges from the Judges of Egypt movement.