ISLAMIST PARTY NOT TO WITHDRAW AMENDMENTS TO CONTROVERSIAL JUDICIAL REFORM LAW

       Cairo, 21 Jumadil Akhir 1434/30 April 2013 (MINA) – Wasat Islamist party denies retracting amendments to judicial authority law that caused serious drift between presidency and judiciary in recent days.

       The Wasat Party, has not withdrawn its proposals to amend the judicial authority law and has no plans to do so in future, the party has said.

       In a statement released on Monday, the moderate Islamist party said it welcomes proposals from outside the Shura Council as long as they do not infringe on the latter’s authority, Ahram reported as monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

       The changes proposed by the party, which have been endorsed by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), would see the retirement age for judges lowered from 70 to 60, an outcome opposed by many judges and political forces.

       During a meeting with senior judges on Sunday, President Morsi agreed to adopt a draft judicial law prepared by judges (many of whom are opposed to the Wasat Party’s proposal) and send it to the Shura Council for review.

       The Muslim Brotherhood, from which President Morsi hails, along with other Islamist forces, have been calling on the Shura Council (the upper house of parliament, currently endowed with legislative powers) to pass a new judicial authority law to “purge” the judiciary.

        The Wasat Party is a 1999 splinter from the Muslim Brotherhood and was formally established shortly after the January 25 Revolution.(T/P03/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)