Egyptian judges stage protest for independence

CAIRO, May 25 (Reuters) At least 300 Egyptian judges stood in silence outside the high court today in protest against what they say is state interference in the judiciary.

Hundreds of police, some in riot gear, surrounded the court and blocked about 200 other activists outside Egypt's Journalists' Syndicate nearby from joining the judges.

''No political reform without freedom for the press and independence for the judiciary,'' one banner posted outside the syndicate said.

Elsewhere, about 100 activists protested in support of the judges outside Cairo University. Egypt's Tagammu opposition party said its headquarters was besieged by police to stop members from joining demonstrations.

''We are calling for the independence of the judiciary ... and our complete supervision of elections if there is to be supervision from now on. This is an historic day,'' said Ahmed Salah, a judge at the protest, who wore his ceremonial red sash.

Outside the court, at least 100 journalists, cameramen, photographers and activists clapped and cheered the judges, who stood on the steps of the building.

''It's like Egypt has been reborn,'' anti-government journalist and activist Bissam Kassab said.

''Why are so many journalists arrested in Egypt? Because the state interferes with judges. Freedom is in judges' hands and I'm protecting my freedom by supporting them,'' she added.

The demonstrations passed peacefully, unlike two others this month in support of the judges, in which security forces beat and detained peaceful protestors and journalists, provoking criticism from Washington and the European Union.

ELECTION FRAUD The judges' confrontation with the Egyptian government has been brewing since late last year when judges threatened not to supervise parliamentary elections to press the government into granting them full independence from the executive.

Judges say the justice ministry uses its control of salaries and promotions to interfere in the judiciary.

The judges later backed down and supervised the polls, but then reported election abuses and in some cases fraud.

Judges Mahmoud Mekky and Hesham Bastawisi were referred to a disciplinary board on accusations of slandering the judiciary for comments they made on television about election abuses.

About 270 activists, mainly from the Muslim Brotherhood, remain in prison after police detained them at two demonstrations in support of Mekky and Bastawisi during their disciplinary hearing earlier this month.

Mekky, who was acquitted of wrongdoing, was at the silent protest. Bastawisi, who was punished by withholding his next promotion, was too ill to attend after a heart attack last week.

Yesterday, an Egyptian prosecutor referred three journalists and a lawyer to a criminal court for compiling a list of judges they accuse of election fraud in parliamentary polls last year.

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