Egyptian Minister of Justice Ahmed Mekki offered his resignation on Sunday, judicial sources inside the Ministry of Justice informed Ahram Online. The news comes one day after President Mohamed Morsi had stated there would be a government reshuffle
Thousands of Islamist demonstrators protested at the High Court on Friday in rallies called for by the Muslim Brotherhood to demand the "purging of the judiciary." The demonstrations ended violently when anti-Brotherhood protesters attacked the demonstration. Opponents of the Islamist group warned that the demands aimed at the "Brotherhoodisation" of the judiciary.
According to judicial sources, in his resignation statement, Mekki complained about demonstrations calling for the "purging of the judiciary" called for by the Muslim Brotherhood. He also condemned attempts to amend the judicial authority law to decrease the retirement age of judges without taking their view on the issue.
The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, together with coalitions within the Shura Council, had proposed the judicial authority law be amended accordingly. The law, if amended to lower the retirement age, will mean the forced retirement of more than 3,000 judges.
Mekki has recently repeatedly criticised demands, repeated mainly by the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies, that the retirement age of judges be decreased.
Mekki on Saturday filed a complaint with the prosecutor-general against Wasat Party and National Conscience Front member Essam Sultan for statements he made accusing members of the judiciary of corruption, reported the Middle East News Agency (MENA).
Mekki has also on more than one occasion disagreed publicly with decisions made by President Mohamed Morsi regarding the judiciary, including the dismissal of former Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud and his replacement with Talaat Abdullah.
