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Egypt judges attack Mursi ousting of prosecutor-general Egypt judges attack Mursi ousting of prosecutor-general
(about 3 hours later)
A group of Egyptian judges has criticised President Mohammed Mursi's attempt to remove the country's top prosecutor as a "farce".A group of Egyptian judges has criticised President Mohammed Mursi's attempt to remove the country's top prosecutor as a "farce".
The president said he was reassigning prosecutor-general Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, regarded as a figure from the era of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, as Vatican envoy.The president said he was reassigning prosecutor-general Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, regarded as a figure from the era of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, as Vatican envoy.
But Mr Mahmoud has said he will not go.But Mr Mahmoud has said he will not go.
The move against him followed an angry public response to the high-profile acquittal of Mubarak supporters. Amid the controversy, supporters and opponents of President Mursi clashed in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.
Twenty-four people were cleared of organising attacks on protesters during last year's uprising. Witnesses said a rally critical of the president was taking place when a crowd of his supporters stormed the stage.
They had been accused of sending men on camels and horses to break up a protest in Cairo in 2011, leaving several people dead. At least 10 people were injured as protesters pelted each other with stones, a hospital official told the official Mena news agency.
'Tyrant' gibe In Alexandria, supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist movement that backs Mr Mursi - gathered ahead of a speech by the president, chanting: "Down with the prosecutor general" and, "the people want the judiciary to be purged".
On Friday, minor clashes were reported as Muslim Brotherhood supporters and rival, anti-government protesters gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. The move against Abdel Maguid Mahmoud followed an angry public response to the high-profile acquittal of Mubarak supporters.
In Alexandria, supporters of the Brotherhood - the Islamist movement to which Mr Mursi belongs - gathered ahead of a speech by the president, chanting: "Down with the prosecutor general" and, "the people want the judiciary to be purged".
President Mursi moved to dismiss the prosecutor-general after the acquittal of a series of defendants accused of organising a notorious attack on protesters during the revolution, known as the "Battle of the Camel".President Mursi moved to dismiss the prosecutor-general after the acquittal of a series of defendants accused of organising a notorious attack on protesters during the revolution, known as the "Battle of the Camel".
In theory, the prosecutor is supposed to be independent. To get round that, the president appointed him ambassador to the Vatican. But it appears the prosecutor is resisting, and has the support of the judges.In theory, the prosecutor is supposed to be independent. To get round that, the president appointed him ambassador to the Vatican. But it appears the prosecutor is resisting, and has the support of the judges.
It is a strange turnaround. In the days of Hosni Mubarak, it used to be the opposition criticising the lack of the independence of the judges. Now the Muslim Brotherhood has power, it seems more concerned with having its own way.It is a strange turnaround. In the days of Hosni Mubarak, it used to be the opposition criticising the lack of the independence of the judges. Now the Muslim Brotherhood has power, it seems more concerned with having its own way.
Protesters in Tahrir Square have blamed Mr Mahmoud for the decision to acquit former officials. Twenty-four people were cleared of organising attacks on protesters during last year's uprising.
They had been accused of sending men on camels and horses to break up a protest in Cairo in 2011, leaving several people dead.
Many protesters in Tahrir Square blame Mr Mahmoud for the decision to acquit the former officials.
But his colleagues rallied to his support, calling an emergency meeting of a top judges' club to condemn the president's decision.But his colleagues rallied to his support, calling an emergency meeting of a top judges' club to condemn the president's decision.
"Egypt's law on judicial authority offers judges immunity and prevents exiling them from their posts in order to protect their independence from the executive authority," said senior judge Walid Shafie after the meeting."Egypt's law on judicial authority offers judges immunity and prevents exiling them from their posts in order to protect their independence from the executive authority," said senior judge Walid Shafie after the meeting.
The head of the judges' club, Ahmed al-Zind, was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying the judiciary would not bow to the "farce", adding: "The era of tyrants is over." The head of the judges' club, Ahmed al-Zind, was quoted by AP news agency as saying the judiciary would not bow to the "farce", adding: "The era of tyrants is over."
The case against the Mubarak supporters is the latest flashpoint between Mr Mursi's government, elected earlier this year, and figures associated with the Mubarak era.The case against the Mubarak supporters is the latest flashpoint between Mr Mursi's government, elected earlier this year, and figures associated with the Mubarak era.
Those accused included Fathi Sorour and Safwat al-Sherif, former speakers of Egypt's two houses of parliament.Those accused included Fathi Sorour and Safwat al-Sherif, former speakers of Egypt's two houses of parliament.
Prosecutors said Mr Sherif, who was also the secretary general of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NPD), had "contacted MPs, members of the NDP and financiers of the party, inciting them to disperse the protests in Tahrir Square by force and violence".Prosecutors said Mr Sherif, who was also the secretary general of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NPD), had "contacted MPs, members of the NDP and financiers of the party, inciting them to disperse the protests in Tahrir Square by force and violence".
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