The Supreme Council of Judiciary banned on Monday publishing news related to judicial affairs or judges on all websites and social media platforms.
In a statement, the council said, “Violating the ban will lead to notifying investigative authorities if necessary or applying disciplinary penalties as mentioned in the judicial authority law.”
Meanwhile, the Judges Club, headed by Mohamed Abdel Mohsen Mansour, welcomed the decision and considered this an important step that comes to confront a campaign launched against judges.
Mansour approved the decision and stressed that the constitution bans tackling all judicial affairs. He said that the decision was a step toward confronting the campaign that judges have been facing.
Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mansour said that the council has the right to notify investigation authorities about any news, posts or incidents believed to be a violation against judicial affairs. He added that the council is the one responsible for judicial affairs and that the club had called for such measures previously.
In related news, Adel al-Shorbagy, first deputy chief of the council, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the decision applies to all news websites, saying that the decision also bans judges from speaking to media, so long as no reason exists, adding that the judge’s work is limited to the law.
Refaat al-Sayyed, former president of Criminal Court, said the decision is not a new one, as a similar one was issued 10 years ago but was not enforced; and was even violated by the judges themselves without anyone being penalized or referred to disciplinary boards.
He expressed wishes that the decision will be effectively applied.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
