CAIRO-An Egyptian Court Sunday delayed until July 4 a ruling on an appeal filed against the jailing of two lawyers accused of assaulting a prosecutor. As the postponement decision was announced, hundreds of angry protesters chanted pro-lawyer slogans.
The setence issued two weeks ago has triggered a sharp crisis between Egypt's lawyers and judges.
Lawyers Ehab Saa'i and Moustafa Fatouh were sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting Tanta Prosecutor Bassem Abul Roos.
The lawyers have avoided appearing in courts since then, calling for the release of their colleagues.
Ahmed Fathi Sorour, the Speaker of the People's Assembly (the Lower House of the Egyptian Parliament), said Saturday that the time was right for tensions between lawyers and judges to end.
"I think that it's high time to iron out any differences between the two partners in justice," Sorour added.
Senior officials on both sides have signalled an imminent end to the standoff. The Bar Association is one of Egypt's most influential and biggest professional unions.
