The 'Revolution for Judicial Independence' coalition is holding a protest on Tuesday afternoon in front of the High Court building in downtown Cairo, to demand the dismissal of current prosecutor general Abdel Meguid Mahmoud.
The coalition, which was formed last week, is made up of 27 political parties and movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party. As of Tuesday afternoon, supporters were congregating outside the High Court and setting up tents.
The coalition said in a statement published on the Muslim Brotherhood's official website, Ikhwan Online, that it will continue protesting until Mahmoud is dismissed or resigns, because of his failure to present enough evidence to incriminate the members of the security forces who were accused of killing protesters during the early days of the January 25 Revolution.
Mahmoud, who was appointed by former president Mubarak, insisted that he would continue in his position last month after President Mohamed Morsi issued a decree appointing him Egypt's ambassador to the Vatican.
The decree caused controversy, with some opposition figures arguing that it constituted an attack on judicial independence. Mahmoud publically stated that he would remain in his post and could not be legally removed by presidential decree.
Meanwhile, a group of 54 political parties from across the political spectrum denounced the call made by the members of the coalition, on the grounds that the demand to dismiss the prosecutor general is an infringement of judicial authority, and counterintuitive to the independence of the judiciary since he cannot legally be dismissed from his position, which is for life.
The opponent group includes Nasserist and liberal parties such as the New Wafd Party, Socialist Arab Party and the Arab Nasserist party, as well as parties establish by remnants of the Mubarak’s regime now-defunct National Democratic party such as the Egyptian Revolution party and the Nationalist Egypt party.
