Egypt Court Says Rulings Binding After President Decree

Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court said on Monday its decisions were final and binding on all state authorities, after meeting for an emergency session in response to the president’s decree to recall a parliament that the court declared void.

The court, which ruled on June 14 that the Islamist-led parliament had been elected based on unconstitutional rules, also said it would review appeals challenging the constitutionality of President Mohamed Mursi’s decree.

“We will hear these cases tomorrow (Tuesday),” the court’s head, Maher el-Beheiry, told Reuters.

Lawyers said the court did not have the authority to overturn a presidential decree but, in response to specific appeals or cases brought against a decree, the court could rule whether it was constitutional or not.

After the court declared parliament void on June 14, the army ordered the assembly dissolved two days later. That happened before Mursi was elected.

“Decisions and rulings are final and cannot be appealed as stipulated by the law. These rulings and their explanations are binding to all authorities of state,” the court said in a statement issued after Monday’s meeting.

“The court affirms, as it has done repeatedly, that it is not a party to any political confrontation between political groups,” it said.

It said cases had been raised with the court regarding the president’s decree and those would be reviewed on Tuesday. The presidency had said its decision had legal grounds.

“The constitutional court statement indicates that the body is in charge of issuing rulings that concern constitutionality of laws and that’s when its job ends,” said lawyer and rights activist Gamal Eid

“After that, the interpretation and state authorities’ actions and issues happening after that is not its problem,” he said. (Reporting by Dina Zayed and Yasmine Saleh; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Reuters