Egypt appeals court reinstates top prosecutor sacked by Morsi

An Egyptian court on Wednesday overturned a decision by President Mohamed Morsi to sack prosecutor general Abdel Meguid Mahmud and ordered his reinstatement, state media reported.

The ruling by the appeals court will once again put the presidency on a collision course with the judiciary, while any enforcement of its terms remains trapped in a legal labyrinth.

Morsi sacked Mahmud in November, in a decree that granted the president sweeping powers and placed his decisions beyond judicial review. Mahmud was replaced by current prosecutor general, Talaat Abdallah.

The decree was eventually repealed under immense street pressure, but the decisions stemming from it were protected by the constitution that was passed in December.

Morsi’s decision to replace Mahmud with Ibrahim drew criticism from the president’s opponents, who said the move had exceeded his powers.

“The court ruled that the president's decision to sack Judge Abdel Maguid Mahmud is void and orders the minister of justice to reinstate him,” judge Sana Khalil said.

Khaled Abubakr, a prominent lawyer, told AFP: “There is a court decision that needs to be applied, but at the same time there is a decree that is protected by the constitution.”

The decision will intensify long-running tensions between the presidency and the judiciary which accuses Mursi of interfering in its independence.

“The solution is for a higher court, like the Supreme Constitutional Court, to rule on the crisis,” Abubakr said.