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The Bar Association of lawyers in Egypt has gone on strike after seven lawyers were jailed for five years for insulting a judge and the judiciary.
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- Cases have to be postponed as a result of the strike
In a statement released late yesterday the President of the Bar Association, Sameh Ashour, said: “The Bar Association in conjunction with the sub-councils of trade unions decided to organise a general strike in front of the criminal courts on Saturday.”
Read: Amnesty: Human rights crisis in Egypt continues
The lawyers had been found in contempt of insulting judges and the judicial system. Seven were handed five-year prison sentences while two others will face a retrial.
The original prosecution in May involved 22 lawyers 13 of whom were acquitted of all charges. Eight of the remaining lawyers had been sentenced to death and one was given a three year jail term.