The State Litigation Authority dismissed four counselors, warned five and flagged three others on Saturday for their purported connection to the politically vocal group Judges for Egypt.
The vice-president of the State Litigation Authority, Sameh al-Sayed said in a press statement that the decision was made because the dismissed counselors attended "political conferences" organized by the judges group.
Judges for Egypt was active in 2013, expressing its rejection of the July 2013 power shift in which former president Mohamed Mursi was ousted by the military after protests against his rule. The group is believed to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
In a statement on Jul. 4, 2013, the group said it recognises Mursi as the sole legitimate president of Egypt and that it will partake in a encampment in Cairo's Rabaa Al-Adaweya Square to show support for him.
Security bodies have since launched several investigations into the group and some of its members have been removed from their judicial posts.
The state argues that these judges are acting in violation of the law by becoming politically active. Article 73 of the judicial authority law states that courts cannot express a political opinion and "judges are prohibited from engaging in political work."
However, the Judge's Club emerged as a vocal political group as well, under the leadership of Ahmed el-Zend, who was appointed minister of justice in May.
During his term as president of the Club, Zend used the organization to speak on behalf of Egypt's judges and was a strong opponent of the Muslim Brotherhood.
His most memorable confrontations with the now-banned group were during Mursi's short-lived tenure Mursi.
