Egypt’s Mursi Declares He’s Above the Law
Decree Sets Stage for Battle With Judiciary
Seeking to capitalize big on the goodwill he managed to accumulate in negotiating the Gaza ceasefire, Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi today issued a decree calling for retrials of several Mubarak regime officials, as well as announcing that his decisions are completely above the law.
The second part of this decree is a particularly serious claim, and likely sets the stage for the battle with the judiciary, as the decree claims that so decision he makes can ever be challenged in a court of law.
Former IAEA chief and Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei was quick to condemn the move, saying Mursi had appointed himself as the “new pharaoh.” The move aims primarily at stymieing challenges to his appointed assembly penning the post-revolution constitution, but is so far reaching it is likely to bring a lot of other concerns to the fore.
Mursi’s supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood endorsed the move, with thousands celebrating the decree in front of the High Court in Cairo. As with any major power grab, there is going to be a big split between those satisfied with the idea and those who are angry.
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mojo
November 22nd, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Get ready for his next move…, is not going to look good for those who wanted for Egypt to become a functioning democracy…, Thank you Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton.., now you can leave the people of middle east alone and for ever…, you just replaced an autocrat with another autocrat whom have a degree in religious autocracy.
the Lion
November 22nd, 2012 at 11:33 pm
No difference with Bush or Obama both of them believe that they are above the law!
John_Muhammad
November 23rd, 2012 at 12:32 am
Clearly, he's taken to heart the example Obama has set for world leaders. Above the law, indeed.
Ron F
November 23rd, 2012 at 12:59 am
Mursi declared that he is the law, not that he's above it.
Backwoodsman
November 23rd, 2012 at 4:30 am
Well, that's one way to spin it. More realistically, he is cracking down on Mubarak cronies like the former attorney general, who was guilty of at least gross incompetence if not worse. The Battle of the Camel was caught on international media. How did he lose that case?
Which brings us to the judiciary… Are they not supposed to reprimand the former attorney general for his probably intentional negligence?
The Mubarak regime had 3 decades to spread their rot in the establishment. Mursi is actually being very mild.
John Ellis
November 23rd, 2012 at 6:13 am
Give Mursi some slack, for this action terminates the judicial dictatorship that has totally destroyed all hope of democracy in the past. Yes Mursi is of the rich ruling class, but so far his actions have done more good then harm.
John V. Walsh
November 23rd, 2012 at 7:51 am
Great post by Jason – with news that I had not encountered before. That is after all the aim of journalism.
Somehow I smell a rat. Morsi seems to be fitting right in with the schemes of the US Empire. Is he the US's point man with a prayer rug?
MvGuy
November 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 pm
WTF…!!! COME–ON….. Don't be brain dead…. For all our sakes… When Hosni Mubarak started to lose control. Washington, Tel Aviv and Riyad were desperate to salvage some (ANY) face.and control. They placed all their chips on the military…… but the military started to side with the protesters and those who wanted Egypt run for benefit of the Egyptian people and NOT Israel, the U.S. or the Saudis..
What did that leave of their billion dollars plus a year influence buying edifice…?? Yaa, You guessed it, the judiciary… All of a sudden the judiciary was cominmg up with reasons why all the murderers of their OWN people while on the U.S./CIA payroll weren't guilty of any or few, if any of which they were accused. Tie the newly elected Brotherhood up in legal barbed wire, raise and recalibrate the bribes a tad and BINGO…… things will go back to the good ole days… or so the B/O Adms. thought..
But, Go figure….. This guy Mursi turns out to be a contender……….. of sorts… And the legal system he put himself above……………………. It is the (Mubarak) Ole Boys legal system… Here is a clear case of the need for Sharia law being manifest…. Not to put the women in Burkas… but to drive out the sold out to.. Western Infidel Money Legal Edifice which is Anti Egypt, Anti Muslim and Anti woman. They are pro lip service in support of all the above as they stuff their pockets with U.S. Dollars and protect the murders of the the demonstrators and the Virginity checkers that the old regime used to try thwart the will of the vast majority of the Egyptian People…….. They should flee to Miami to join the collaberaters from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and now Syria….. that aren't safe in their native land for selling out to the empire…
Darrol
November 23rd, 2012 at 2:39 pm
This article is propaganda and demolishes the credibility of Jason Ditz, who called this “a major power grab”. Judges appointed under Mubarak had dissolved the elected Parliament in June, so there was no Parliament. Why didn’t Ditz mention this ? The government’s attorney-general is another Mubarak-era holdover, appointed in 2006. ALL the cases of police violence against demonstrators had been dismissed. All the judges, too, are Mubarak-era holdovers. So where is the justice and where is the change of government ? If Mubarak had done nothing, the gains of the Jan. 25 movement might have been totally erased.
Anyone who wants to know the truth can check the above, and should also read the English translation of Mursi’s 4 point decree. It’s all very limited in scope and duration.
It’s always vital to distinguish between revolution and counter-revolution. Jason Ditz needs to wake up.
John Ellis
November 23rd, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Many things good and gutsy in your post, hope it does not go over
the head of too many readers.