Crackdown on Tiran and Sanafir Lawyers Highlights Egypt’s Judicial Decline
Legal defenders of Egypt’s sovereignty over the Red Sea islands face systemic repression and judicial interference amid claims of state-directed control over court rulings.
Watan-In a scene that reflects the deterioration of judicial independence in Egypt, lawyers defending Egypt’s sovereignty over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir are facing an unprecedented campaign of repression and restriction.
After attorney Ali Ayoub and 57 others filed a legal challenge against the decision to cede the islands to Saudi Arabia, they were shocked to find themselves barred from even viewing the report of the State Commissioners Authority — the basis for the court’s final ruling. This dangerous precedent underscores that “high-level instructions” now appear to stand above the law.
The courts, having become tools in the hands of the regime, are now being used to silence opposition and prevent any human rights discourse — even when it pertains to national sovereignty. The lawyers are facing systematic obstacles, including delays in court hearings coinciding with bar association meetings, and bans on photographing official documents. Meanwhile, accusations mount regarding the unconstitutionality of decisions made by President Sisi and his government.
Since 2013, Egypt has seen a radical transformation in the structure of its judiciary, with security agencies now controlling judicial appointments and promotions. The justice system is increasingly run from behind the scenes — not according to legal standards, but at the whim of political authority.
What is happening today is no longer a matter of individual overreach, but rather a “systematic erosion of justice,” where defending the homeland is treated as a crime, and standing up for the truth is seen as an offense.
