Dozens of judges gathered Wednesday at the Judges Club in downtown Cairo for an emergency meeting to discuss what was described as a “grave development” threatening judicial independence.
The meeting, called by Judges Club President Counsellor Abu Al-Hussein Qayed, came amid concerns that Egypt’s government intends to transfer full control over judicial appointments and promotions to the Military Academy, bypassing the judiciary’s internal institutions.
While the club’s internal statement, circulated among judges on private social media groups, did not directly name the issue, a senior Appeals Court judge present at the meeting told Al Manassa that the proposal would grant the Military Academy sole authority over application processes, interviews and selection of new judicial appointees—responsibilities currently reserved for judicial bodies.
In a statement obtained by Al Manassa, the Judges Club said it convened “in defense of the judiciary’s independence and stature,” affirming its responsibility to “respond with precision and seriousness to developments in the judicial community.” The statement added that the club “will not hesitate to safeguard judicial independence and preserve its prestige.”
The club's board urged members to “stand united behind their club” during what it called a “critical phase,” emphasizing that judicial unity remains the only guarantee for preserving the judiciary’s autonomy.
The meeting was framed as a deliberative session ahead of possible escalatory steps, including convening an extraordinary general assembly—a move typically reserved for moments of institutional crisis.
Tensions with the presidency
According to the same judicial source, tensions within the judiciary have escalated since reports surfaced of a closed-door meeting between Omar Marwan, Director of the Presidential Office, and heads of judicial bodies. In that meeting, Marwan allegedly announced that the Military Academy would assume full responsibility for the judicial appointment process.
The source said the declaration was met with rare opposition from Counsellor Assem El-Ghayesh, President of the Court of Cassation and head of the Supreme Judicial Council, who reportedly viewed the decision as a “direct affront to judicial independence.”
A confrontation ensued, the source added, in which Marwan allegedly responded “this is a sovereign decision from the presidency. It is final, and we are now implementing it.”
The source did not rule out the possibility that Judges Club President Qayed had coordinated his response with El-Ghayesh, especially given that both serve on the same bench at the Court of Cassation.
Delays and legal criticism
Legal sources familiar with the appointments process said that graduates of the 2022 judicial class, who were set to begin their training at the Military Academy this month, were informed that their start date has been delayed until July. The delay, sources say, reflects the state’s intention to implement the new appointment mechanism.
The Military Academy has steadily expanded its role in preparing personnel across state institutions, from the diplomatic corps at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to newly hired teachers in the Ministry of Education, and even staff at the Ministry of Transport. Its increasing influence in judicial training has drawn scrutiny from legal and rights groups.
In July 2024, the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession criticized the graduation of a new judicial cohort trained at the Military College, arguing the practice undermines the unique legal and ethical foundation of the judiciary.
In their statement, the center warned that such programs “undermine the judicial identity of appointees and compromise their professional conduct,” and urged the Supreme Judicial Council to reject these trainings as unconstitutional encroachments.
They called for judicial training to remain exclusively under the Council’s authority and take place in its own institutions—such as the Judicial Studies Center and the Public Prosecution’s training facilities—supervised by judges themselves.
