Egypt: Trial of 2 judges who drafted law against torture postponed

The Disciplinary Board of the Cairo Court of Appeals has postponed the trial of the Court of Appeal President, Hisham Raouf, and the Court of Cassation vice-president, Assem Abdel-Jabbar, who were detained after they helped draft a law against torture.

The Board of Discipline and Jurisdiction rejected the case of referring the two judges for investigation on 29 June, but this ruling was challenged by the Public Prosecution.

A well-informed source said that the sixth hearing, held on 5 February, was “a procedural session in preparation for the lawsuit.”

The case has now been postponed to 20 August.

READ: ‘I’m dying of torture’ Egypt prisoner tells mother two days before his death

The case dates back to March 2015 when the United Group, an Egyptian law firm of attorneys and legal advisors, organised a workshop to discuss a draft law on the prevention of torture. The two judges were amongst others who took part in the workshop; the proposals of which were referred to the presidency.

In March 2017, they were referred to the Disciplinary Board for allegedly taking part in political activity, according to Egyptian newspapers.