41 judges referred to retirement for political activity

The Supreme Judicial Council has referred 41 judges to retirement on Saturday on charges of engaging in political activity that is prohibited for judges, on Saturday.

The judges include 31 who were referred to the council’s disciplinary board for signing a statement supporting former President Mohamed Morsi following his removal and 10 who are accused of belonging to the “Judges for Egypt” movement within the judiciary that is sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Judges for Egypt movement came to light in 2012 when they released public statement announcing Morsi’s victory in the presidential runoffs ahead of the official results, in anticipation of the results being rigged against him.

The movement has aligned itself with Morsi’s rule and engaged in direct conflict with the main current in the judiciary represented by the Judges’ Club. The conflict has included accusations of bias on both sides.

The judges were referred to the disciplinary board on charges of engaging in political work, forming a judicial movement in violation to the laws and customs of the judiciary and siding with a political faction at the expense of the state.

The group issued a statement during the Rabea al-Adaweya sit-in in support of the then recently ousted President Morsi in July 2013 announcing its participation in the sit-in demanding Morsi’s return.