Egypt's Supreme Court rules in favor women judges

Emad ElSaed

Sun, 14/03/2010 - 19:59

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A group of activist women belonging to NGO's, standing in front of State Council, Giza, February 18, 2010, in protest of State's General Assembly's decision not to appoint women as judges by a landslide majority of 89%. The assembly justified decision referring to unsuccessful experience of women judges in Family Courts.

Photographed by Adham Khorshed

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Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) on Sunday ruled that female judges had the right to be appointed to the State Council.

It further ruled that the council's general assembly--which had earlier voted to ban the appointment of female judges--lacked the right to decide the issue, which could only be determined by the council's executive board.

The State Council was established in 1946 and is considered Egypt's highest legal body. It is tasked with deciding administrative disputes with regards to the exercise of state power.

The ruling comes following a request last month by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif that the SCC interpret the laws regulating the matter.

Judges announced the verdict after five hours of closed deliberations. Reporters were denied entry to the courtroom, while SCC staff members were instructed not to make any statements to the press.

Translated from the Arabic Edition.